When Midwest Food Bank Florida was asked to host a group of elementary students this spring our answer was, “Yes, please!”
The local Business Networking International group organized a volunteer day with a local elementary school in May. Students, parents, and BNI members arrived at MFB Florida and were greeted by lead volunteers Deborah and Al. The group learned about food insecurity, food waste in the US, the MFB mission, and operations including how a forklift works and a peek inside a semi-truck.
The students put their creative minds to work and made handheld fans that will be used for people waiting in line at the local mobile food pantry. They also organized and prepared bread boxes for local food partners.
“What a great day for volunteering at MFB Florida, ” says Deborah Montesanti-Dahlke, a lead volunteer. “It is never too early to teach your children to volunteer.”
For the BNI group, the day exceeded expectations. “The event was magnificent and so much more than I expected,” says Karina Borgia-Lacroix, the BNI representative. “The lead volunteers took their time with the kids and parents.
As part of our MFB KIDS! focus, we have held other volunteer events focused on children. This is an opportunity to teach our younger generation about hunger and food insecurity as well as showing them the importance of community involvement and working together to help those in need. For more information, contact us at 813.545.8898.
