My Volunteer Experience at The L.a. Food Bank

On a bright sunny day, I started my day off volunteering at the L.A. Food Bank. I got ready for the day and headed out of my house. When I arrived at the location, the area seemed to be filled with buildings that looked like massive old factory structures. My reason to volunteer at the food bank was to satisfy my need to help others and leave a change, however it is a small difference, in someone’s world. This was my opportunity to make a positive impact in the world along with others who enjoy volunteering.

As I entered the food bank, there were lots of people there. The room appeared to be noisy as people waited in lines to check in with coordinators. Everybody volunteering began heading promptly to their assigned duties after checking in. I started to get excited when I realized my opportunity to encounter and work with a diverse group of people. This volunteer experience allowed me to make connections with people of different racial backgrounds, gender identities, and religions.

Coordinators assigned me to repackage donated food items from local food drives after being sorted and inspected by other volunteers. When I packed the donated food items into a bag, each bag had to contain the correct amount of food items. As a team, we effectively worked similarly to a factory assembly line as the items continuously moved down the row to volunteers. We quickly placed the food items into bags before the table would get overcrowded. My thought was all this hard work and effort would be worth it by allowing us to help those who are in need. My task required a lot of focus when trying to work swiftly with my hands while ensuring that items placed in bags were not miscounted.

While packaging the food items, I had a chance to communicate with a variety of people. We worked together as a team to ensure that our task was going effectively. While doing my task, volunteers around me would signal us by saying, “There are still many more boxes of food that need to be unloaded” as we tried our best to work at a fast-pace. I felt like we all had a common goal of helping others, which we all shared this value. By volunteering, it allows like-minded individuals to connect while helping us to develop better social skills.

After I helped pack the food items, I headed back home. I waved and said,“Goodbye” to people when it was time for me to leave. As I left the building, I reflected back on my time at the food bank. I knew I wanted to go back to the food bank to volunteer after having a wonderful experience. By helping to pack food items, I was able to make a significant impact on my community by helping people fight hunger and giving them hope for a better life.

As an American, I have boundless opportunities to give back to my community through good deeds. Through volunteering, I also get a chance to meet people from different backgrounds while improving my social skills. It allows me to communicate with people who share the same passion as me, which is to help others. After volunteering, I feel a sense of satisfaction within me, which does not usually happen. My volunteer experience really helps me grow as a person morally. Volunteering gives me opportunities to experience circumstances that I would otherwise not experience in life.              

Works Cited

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