FORT PIERCE, Fla. – March 31, 2023 – Ending hunger is no easy task on the Treasure Coast and beyond, and it would be near impossible without volunteers who help in the journey to put nutritious meals on the plates of those in need, said Treasure Coast Food Bank President and CEO Judith Cruz.
“We simply could not do this work without their help,” she said. “They serve on the front lines and behind the scenes by inspecting and packing donated food, offering administrative support, assisting families and so much more.”
April marks Volunteer Appreciation Month and Treasure Coast Food Bank is celebrating the thousands of good neighbors who give their time to the food bank to provide food to more than 225,000 people each week. On average, volunteers donate about 46,000 hours with Treasure Coast, the equivalent of 24 full-time positions.
Those who volunteer regularly are known as the Treasure Coast Food Corps, and they lead projects in almost every aspect of the organization, from warehouse packing and sorting to assisting neighbors selecting their items on the Market Fresh on the Move truck. Treasure Coast Food Bank also works with corporate volunteers, such as FedEx, Sam’s Club, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort and Publix.
“Volunteers always tell us how Treasure Coast Food Bank is like a second home to them,” Cruz said. “They enjoy how productive they can be and how that work affects and contributes to helping others.”
Treasure Coast Food Bank also hosts regular Friends and Family Volunteer Days in which children 8 and older can volunteer alongside adults, as can corporate teams who want to give back as a business. The next Friends and Family Volunteer Day of the month will be held on Saturday, April 1.
For Volunteer Appreciation Month, Treasure Coast Food Bank will host Themed Music Fridays with giveaways, raffles, and music. The Themed Music Fridays include:
- Friday, April 7 – 70’s Disco
- Friday, April 14 – 80’s Music
- Friday, April 21 – 90’s Music
- Friday, April 28 – Disney Music
In addition, volunteers can visit the two Treasure Coast Food Bank warehouses in Fort Pierce to participate in a “What Hunger Means to Me” paper plate decorating campaign.
“We give our volunteers praise all the time behind the scenes, but it’s important we do it formally, too, because truly they are invaluable,” Cruz said.
Those interested in becoming a volunteer or to learn more, visit www.stophunger.org/volunteer/ or email volunteer@tcfoodbank.org
ABOUT TREASURE COAST FOOD BANK
Treasure Coast Food Bank is the only food bank and largest hunger relief organization on Florida’s Treasure Coast, providing the community each year with millions of meals valued at more than $50 million through robust programs and in partnership with 400 charitable organizations in Indian River, St. Lucie, Martin, and Okeechobee counties. In addition to emergency food distribution, Treasure Coast Food Bank operates a full roster of direct service programs that not only solve the immediate problem of hunger, but help individuals and families gain long-term food security, better health outcomes, and self-sufficiency. Treasure Coast Food Bank is a member of Feeding America, the nationwide network of 200 food banks that leads the fight against hunger in the United States. For more information on Treasure Coast Food Bank, call 772.489.3034, log on to stophunger.org, visit our Facebook page at facebook.com/tcfoodbank, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/tcfoodbank.
