Name
Liz Leonard
Town of residence
Lancaster
Which WHEAT program(s) have you volunteered for?
WHEAT Community Cupboard
WHEAT Community Café
Feed-A-Family
Tools for School
Hope for the Holidays
WHEAT Office
How Long Have You Been Volunteering here?
3 or 4 years
Do you volunteer regularly or occasionally?
Regularly
Why did you decide to volunteer?
I was already donating items, and I wanted to do more to contribute.
How did you decide to volunteer with us?
One day, I was dropping off food donations at WHEAT. I was greeted by the Director, Jodi Breidel, who is an old friend. We chatted for a while and she told me about the various opportunities available to help out at WHEAT.
What do you do when you volunteer?
On a weekly basis, I pick up the food donations from Hannaford, deliver them to WHEAT, weigh them, record the details and put them away. Once that is complete, I work in the office, updating files with details of donations (food and financial) as well as Hidden Treasures’ sales information for monthly reporting.
I also help out with Feed a Family and Hope for the Holidays.
How does volunteering make you feel?
Volunteering makes me feel good. It’s gratifying to know my contributions make a difference.
Why do you think it's important for people to volunteer?
In addition to importance of pitching in, volunteering is one way to feel more connected to your community. You will meet lots of different people who are also interested in helping the community.
If you are retired, what did you do before?
I was a project manager for a financial services company.
Tell us a story of a time when you knew your volunteering made a difference.
One day that stands out in my mind is when my family and I were volunteering at the Hope for the Holidays distribution. We helped a lot of families get their gifts that day. It was very busy, and it was a long day, but it ran like clockwork. The clients were grateful, and we felt good being part of the program.
What's your best advice for someone interested in volunteering?
Do it!! You’ll feel good about it every single time!