An intentional activity in advance of Mental Health Action Day
Many of us have struggled this year, and some are still struggling (an understatement!). This includes struggles with mental health issues. While we can take many actions for our wellbeing, serving other people is a win-win. That’s not a secret, but how can we actualize this in our busy lives? It can be challenging.
Hitting pause on the busy day-to-day
Like colleagues of mine at the Food Bank, I’ve been reflecting on this historic year, as well as on the Food Bank’s 40-year history. Meeting minutes tell us that in 1999, the members of our Board of Directors were asked “to remember as the Food Bank gets larger to focus on how we got to this point—ministry first, business last.” This is wise counsel for 2021, too!
In this reflective mood and in an effort to recharge my spirit coming out of a pandemic winter, I recently stepped away from my usual day-to-day activities for an afternoon—away from emails, meetings, and my computer. Yes, my daily work overseeing Food Bank communications is important and supports the mission, but I wanted to serve with no agenda. This time, I didn’t want to show up at a food distribution and ask clients to give me their attention, their time, their stories, their quotes, their images. I wanted to simply show up and serve.
So, I volunteered at a food pantry in my community: Loaves & Fishes.
I split my shift between two jobs—working alongside other volunteers to pull specific foods from warehouse shelves (based on a client’s family size, dietary restrictions, and eligibility for special government programs like Senior Food Boxes) and add them to carts, and later rolling such carts out to clients’ cars for loading.
Meeting clients
There was a steady stream of cars flowing through the parking lot for the entire two-hour distribution. In total, about 100 households were served that day.
My colleague Joe, partner engagement manager for the Charlottesville area, volunteered alongside me.
As I steered the grocery carts loaded with meat, dairy, and produce for families of 1, 3, 4 and even 9 people, I said hello to clients stepping out of their cars. It was a real moment of human-to-human connection—a look in the eye and a simple greeting. I see you; you see me.
Here’s what I experienced in that parking lot:
- I saw charity when an older woman slowly, carefully looked at every item and returned those she knew she couldn’t use so that someone else could.
- I saw delight in shining eyes and bright smiles of three young kids, who turned to watch from the backseat as their mother opened their car’s back hatch and loaded up groceries.
- I saw relief in a man’s eyes when he found the English words to ask when he could come again, and I explained he could visit a second time that month (and every month hereafter).
- I heard empowerment and pride in guests’ voices as they said, “I don’t need help; I can load the groceries myself.”
- I felt gratitude when I served as the last link in the long chain of human kindnesses that day. Our volunteer operation culminated in the form of abundant and nutritious food, distributed to nourish neighbors’ lives and remind families that their community cares.
Sharing the good feelings
If you feel inspired, Mental Health Awareness Month is a good time to take stock and assess (1) how you are doing and (2) how your community is doing. By adding meaning to your week or month and knowing that you matter to others, you can feel good by doing good. Reach out to the organizations that are supporting the causes you care about, such as…
- your favorite local charity
- your local food pantry
- the Food Bank (volunteer and/or advocate) (link to and)
- your local United Way chapter
- VolunteerMatch—search by your city or ZIP code (and cause) to find opportunities
If you volunteer or have volunteered for the Food Bank, we would love to hear from you. Send a short note about why you serve to communications@brafb.org.