National Volunteer Month
From April 20-26, organizations all over the country will be celebrating its incredible volunteers and the huge impact they’ve had on making the world a better place. We’ve decided one week just isn’t enough time to show our appreciation, so Happy Volunteer Month! 🎉
Volunteers are the heart of 360 Eats. We’re a small, grassroots organization with a staff of four, so every ingredient rescued and every meal served is made possible because of the dedicated individuals who gave their time to support our mission to end hunger and food waste.
In honor of Volunteer Month, we’re highlighting why volunteer work is so important to us, reasons to get involved, and how you can get started today.
Why Volunteer Work is So Important
Volunteering is about more than simply helping out— it’s also about being a huge part of the positive impact we make in the communities where we live— an impact that will last for years to come. At 360 Eats, volunteers play a vital role in addressing two major issues in Pinellas County: food insecurity and food waste.
Our pickup volunteers drive out to our food partners and rescue ingredients that would have otherwise been thrown away. They drop off boxes of fresh produce and all kinds of healthy goodies at our location, where our next set of volunteers are waiting to help sort. Food sorters sometimes carry more than 20 pounds of food at a time, weighing each box, and then looking through tons of them to pull out the ingredients we can cook and serve. They also help us transport the remaining food donations to other pantries in the area so nothing is wasted.
Our meal prep volunteers assist the chef with preparing enough food to serve hundreds of people in St. Petersburg and Clearwater every week. They wash, chop, peel, mix, stir, and whatever else helps our chef get those meals ready. Then, our food truck volunteers scoop that food into compostable bowls and hand them into the hands of people in need of a nutritious meal. Finally, we have volunteers who assist with cleaning after the day is done.
Imagine how different things would be without our volunteers. We are a staff of four. How much more challenging would it be to travel to all eight of our food partners, recovering thousands of pounds of food, sorting, cooking and serving, and cleaning up? Imagine our chef preparing 300-400 meals every week by herself 😵. This is why volunteering is so vital. Without them, we wouldn’t be able to serve at our current capacity, which would mean saving less food and serving less families.
Reasons to Get Involved
In the previous section, we gave a breakdown of the ways our volunteers help out at 360 Eats. Some prefer to try a bunch of different opportunities, and when asked, they’d say, “It’s nice to see the entire process from start to finish.”
Making a tangible impact is one great reason to get involved. You get to see firsthand how your efforts help provide meals to those in need, giving you a sense of meaning and purpose—that beautiful feeling of being a part of something good.
Meeting like-minded people is inevitable when spending your free time doing something you’re passionate about. Our volunteers help out because they love what we do. We see many of them once a month and even on a weekly basis, so they become like family. Who wouldn’t want to feel that sense of belonging? Volunteering is a great way to find your tribe.
Learning a few new skills along the way is another reason to get involved. 360 Eats volunteering offers a hands-on experience, providing an opportunity to develop skills in teamwork, cooking, safely recovering and transporting surplus food, sustainability practices, fundraising, and more.
How to Get Started
If you’re considering becoming a volunteer, the best way to start is by finding an organization that shares your values. Volunteer work will feel much less like “work” when you love the mission and are eager to lend a hand.
If you’re passionate about food insecurity and food waste, you already know we’d love to have ya. Head over to our volunteer page to see all the open shifts we have available and choose one that works best with your schedule. Once you receive a confirmation email, you’re all set to come on in and make a difference.
Happy Volunteer Month to everyone out there selflessly giving their time to make the world a better one for generations to come. You are appreciated beyond words. We also hope this inspired those who have never tried volunteering with us to give it a go!
If you have any questions, you can reach us at info@360eats.org.