Congratulations to our August 2016 Volunteer of the Month, Brenda B!

Brenda has been coming to volunteer at Community Harvest for about two years, bringing in clients with Easter Seals Arc to learn job skills. We were so proud to announce that she is the first volunteer of the month! Her photo will go on our brand new volunteer tree. Brenda was gracious and let us ask her a few questions about her volunteer experience. We’ll let her tell you in her own words:

Sarah from CHFB: How long have you been volunteering with Community Harvest?

Brenda: Oh my. I have probably been coming about two years.

Sarah from CHFB: What is a typical day of volunteering like for you?

Brenda: Sometimes I am here a couple times a week with some of my clients from Easter Seals Arc. A typical Thursday would be we come in and check in with Jessica to see what she needs to have done, and then usually we stock items in BackPack, sometimes SeniorPak. Eric stocks up and I usually bag, so we stay busy.

Sarah from CHFB: Why did you choose to volunteer with Community Harvest?

Brenda: Well, I work with Easter Seals Arc, and before I started bringing Eric, he had already been coming here himself. So when I got Eric as one of my clients, then I wanted to help out, so I just bring Eric here and that is one of the goals that Eric has, to volunteer.

Sarah from CHFB: Do you have a fond memory or story that stands out from your time volunteering?

Brenda: Oh my, that’s a tough one, because when we come here, we try to teach the clients work skills, but then we also teach them that it’s okay to have a little bit of fun while we’re working. So, it’s all been good. I’ve had great experiences here, Jessica’s great, the people before her were great, they’ve always been really nice to my clients, and I appreciate that. So, it’s hard to really pick just one fond memory, because it’s just all been a great experience to come here and help out, and we like helping out people.

Sarah from CHFB: Is there anything you would like to say?

Brenda: I would just like to say that no matter who we come in contact with, they always treat my clients with respect, and you always appreciate what we do, and you tell us that. And it makes us feel good to come here and volunteer to help the seniors or the kids. We’re always welcome here and everybody’s always so friendly, and they appreciate what we do, and we love coming here. We love it.

Brenda to Eric: How do you feel about the food bank? Do you like it?

Eric: The food bank is fun to work.

Brenda: We do have fun, don’t we? He likes Hicham. Hicham is silly and they like to tease each other and they have a good time.

Eric: Hicham, he’s a troublemaker!

Brenda: He is! He’s a very good guy, a very nice guy. In fact, he met us at the door and what did Hicham do this morning?

Eric: He gave me a hug.

Sarah from CHFB: Yes, he gives good hugs.

Brenda: He’s a good guy. We like teasing him and Hicham likes to tease Eric.

Sarah from CHFB: He does it because he likes you.

Brenda and Eric: That’s right!