Aromatherapy and a Great Workout. . . At the Food Bank?

Last night I spent two hours soaking in the citrusy scent of fresh tangerines. Ah, aromatherapy.

I also received quite a workout bagging what felt like a bottomless bin of tangerines for two hours into three pound bags with a great team of volunteers created by my friend, wedding industry colleague and radio DJ Rich Amooi. That's Rich on the left with the tangerine on his head.

Two years ago Rich decided that the wedding industry should have a team of volunteers. He created a Facebook group and several times a year he signs up to work a food sort at the Second Harvest Food Bank. He sends us a notice on Facebook and if we can make it we let him know via Facebook's event page.

Previous to Rich's group I'd volunteered twice through another friend's group and once suffered a minor injury that left me smelling like freezer burned green peas. The smelling bad was my fault, not the food bank's LOL. The first three or four times I've done this we had to do food sorts separating donated groceries (cans, bottles, jars and packaged goods) into different categories. (CLICK HERE to view a previous post about what a grocery food sort is like.)

The last two times it's been dividing fruit. Which I have to say I prefer even though it involves a lot of bending as the bins empty. The last food sort we did we had to box peaches. They smelled even better than the tangerines!

Thanks to Rich our fearless leader. You make volunteering ROCK!

---

If your community has a food bank I bet they could use volunteers too. You should see if there's an opportunity to sign up and go for it!

To put together a volunteer team, like Rich did, in San Jose you can visit the Volunteer Page of the food bank website by CLICKING HERE. It's two hours of your time, a great work out and a great way to support the less fortunate in your community.

If you don't have the time to volunteer there are many other ways to support Second Harvest. A wide variety of ways to give are available. CLICK HERE to learn how:

Cash Gifts
Credit Card Donations by Fax or Mail
Non-perishable Food Donations
Wholesale Donations of Food
Memorial and Honorary Gifts
Monthly Harvest Club
Gifts of Stock
Leave a Legacy through a Planned Gift

If you can make a food donation what the food bank is in most need of are:

• Meals in a can (stew, chili, soup)
• tuna/canned meat
• peanut butter
• canned foods with pop-top lids
• low sugar cereals
• 100% fruit juices in single serving boxes
• canned fruit (packed in its own juice)
• canned vegetables (low salt)

The Food Bank also needs nutritious, non-perishable, single-serving foods for use in programs for children.

• Pop-Top Tuna
• 100% Fruit Rolls
• Raisins
• Graham Crackers
• Unsweetened Applesauce
• Cheese and Crackers
• Fruit Cups
• Low-sugar Cereal Bowls
• Pretzels
• 100% Fruit Juice Boxes
• Granola Bars (without peanuts)