The FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties gathered on February 18th to celebrate their volunteers at a Volunteer Appreciation Event held at Doolan’s Shore Club in Sea Girt. Last year, the FoodBank volunteers logged close to 22,000 hours with stints in the sort room, garden, reception desk, agency relations, tax prep help, mobile pantry, videography, marketing, event and clerical help. The luncheon was a chance to give the volunteers a day off so they could enjoy a catered luncheon and program that included a heartfelt talk from Deb Keszler, directorof Reformation Community Food Pantry, one of the 300 FoodBank feeding programs. “Deb’s talk really gave the volunteers a chance to see the impact of their time and contribution. The food that gets inspected and sorted makes its way to the pantry where food insecure families can shop for the items they need. It’s good to know the value of each task and how it fits into a chain of volunteer support that allows us to run our operation and maintain our 4-star Charity Navigator rating. Our volunteers are the heart of the FoodBank and we really want to express our gratitude for all they do for us,” said Judy Daniels, FoodBank Community Engagement Coordinator.
View slideshow of the volunteers in action HERE
View photos of this year’s luncheon: