Inter-Faith Food Shuttle volunteer Angela has a passion for serving seniors. As a geriatric nurse for over 30 years, she worked with an organization that helped seniors experiencing homelessness to secure housing. Now, her passion has made her a dedicated volunteer with Inter-Faith Food Shuttle’s Grocery Bags for Seniors program.
Angela splits her time between Boston, MA and Morrisville, NC. During her time in Boston, she volunteers with Back on my Feet, a nonprofit organization serving people experiencing homelessness. When she began living part-time in North Carolina, she knew she wanted to find a way to give back to the local community. She found out about the Food Shuttle through a feature in Walter Magazine and attended a volunteer luncheon to learn more about the organization’s volunteering opportunities. Since then, she has volunteered with many different programs: “I really enjoy the Food Shuttle because of their mission, plus I like the variety of different options here,” she shares. “I’ve done the front desk, Gardens for Everyone, Grocery Bags for Seniors, and Camden (Street Learning Garden).”
While she has served with a number of Food Shuttle programs, she shares that her favorite is Grocery Bags for Seniors. She is one of the many volunteers that pack and deliver bags of nutritious food right to the doorstep of over 1800 seniors at risk of hunger through this program. “I love delivering and hoping that they answer the door so we can chat a little bit… I appreciate their wisdom, and they're always willing to chat and share about themselves and their lives. I think they deserve, you know, a few moments just to engage with them because a lot of them are lonely. They might not have family around to come visit.”
The service of volunteers like Angela is vital in the fight against hunger- 9% of seniors in North Carolina are at risk of hunger, and food insecure seniors face an increased risk of a number of heath issues including depression, asthma, congestive heart failure, and high blood pressure. If you share Angela’s passion for serving seniors or simply want to learn more about this program and its volunteering opportunities, click here.