Over the past few weeks, Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank has been celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Month to show our gratitude for those who give so generously of their time to help drive the impact the Food Bank makes in the community – our dedicated volunteers! The love, commitment, and hard work they share every single day at our Volunteer Engagement Center, The Market, our onsite food pantry, community distributions and even in the fields of our farm programs is awe-inspiring. From individuals to corporate and community groups, we could not accomplish our mission without you
“To see people with tears in their eyes and say, ‘I never thought I would be in this situation.’ Those stories stick out to me. We do it because we want to help our neighbors.” – LaShawn, volunteer
Last fiscal year, 8,300 volunteers contributed over 70,500 hours of their time, helping us provide 48 million meals to those in need across the Three Rivers region.
To say that our volunteers make our mission possible is an understatement. According to an April 2024 report from independentsector.org, the estimated national value of a volunteer hour is $33.49. At this rate, Food Bank volunteers provided over $2 million worth of service. What a testament to the huge impact volunteers have on the Food Bank and the community!
Thanks to our volunteers, we were able to make a tangible difference in our service area. Last year, volunteers helped:
- Serve 4.8 million meals at nearly 300 direct distributions
- Pack and distribute 67,000 boxes to seniors through Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP) for the equivalent of 1.9 million meals
- Sort, inspect and pack 485,000 pounds of fresh produce in the Volunteer Engagement Center
- Distribute 2 million pounds of food through The Market, including 820,200 pounds of produce to 23,480 people
As part of our Volunteer Appreciation Month celebrations, we hosted a potluck to honor and thank our incredible volunteers for their ongoing support. It was a wonderful opportunity to connect with our volunteers and recognize their dedication. We enjoyed sharing stories, celebrating accomplishments, and expressing our thanks to those who contribute their time and energy to fight hunger in our region.
A huge thank you to everyone who attended and made the potluck such a memorable occasion!
We would also like to thank The Meredith Group at Baird for sponsoring Volunteer Appreciation Month in recognition of the tremendous contributions of our volunteers.
As we look to the future, we know that our volunteers will continue to be the cornerstone of our success. Whether you’re packing boxes, distributing food, or raising awareness, your commitment allows us to keep reaching more families, helping them move beyond food insecurity and towards stability.
“I came here, just set up for a single, three –hour session and I kind of got hooked. The first time, I enjoyed it so much and I have been doing as much as I can since then.” – Chris, volunteer
If you’ve already volunteered at the Food Bank, thank you for your invaluable contribution. We hope to see you again soon! If you haven’t yet had the chance to get involved, we encourage you to consider volunteering and becoming part of our incredible community.
To get involved, please visit https://pittsburghfoodbank.org/get-involved/volunteer/ or email [email protected].
Together, we can continue to make a difference by leveraging the power of community to achieve lasting solutions to hunger and its root causes. Your time, your love, and your energy matter – and we are grateful for every moment you give to our mission.