How do Retired and Senior Volunteer Program volunteers make a difference for a household’s food needs? There are 60 RSVP volunteers at the three food shelves in Freeborn County giving 3,131 hours and 69 volunteers who help serve community meals for 4,735 hours. At the meal sites, volunteers help keep the cost of each meal affordable for our older seniors who otherwise would not prepare such nourishing foods. Thirty volunteers help distribute NAPS food boxes every month across the city and county.

At the food shelves, volunteer efforts “keep the doors open.” Volunteer managers Arlene Egerdal and Dorothy Simonson at the Ecumenical Food Shelf and Alden Food Shelf’s Rosie Rasmussen, and Kathy Belshan, working the Salvation Army food shelf, make sure to have the food products ordered, delivered, inventoried and shelved for their volunteer crews to help families meet their basic food needs.

Other civic groups are volunteering to fill qualifying elementary student backpacks for weekend meals. This trial program is for students who qualify for free or reduced school meals which, of course, aren’t available over the weekend. When school closes, especially during summer, the question of student meals still needs a solution.

Thank you again to all volunteers for today and the tomorrows you share.

 

Pat Stumme

director

Retired and Senior

Volunteer Program

Albert Lea