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Kathy Vinson enjoyed 50 years of partnership with her husband. It’s been a journey since he passed of learning to make decisions and try new things on her own, and while not always easy, Kathy knew she needed to be around people as part of the healing process. She found her outlet helping end hunger with Ozarks Food Harvest.

Kathy started researching Ozarks Food Harvest’s volunteer opportunities after seeing a Volunteer Ozarks commercial featuring The Food Bank. That’s when she thought, “I could do that.”

She explained, “It took me a bit to commit, but I liked what you were doing. Now that I’m here, I wish I’d have started it a lot sooner. I look forward to every day when I get to come.”

Kathy has now been volunteering twice a week at The Food Bank for three years. Through working together to make meals happen, she’s developed friendships with volunteers of all ages. She likes making connections with volunteers her own age, but she’s also enjoyed talking to the young people who donate their time. “They’re fun to be around and keep things lively,” Kathy said.

Volunteering is a win-win for Kathy, fulfilling her socially, physically, and knowing she’s helping others. Her time at Ozarks Food Harvest has helped her see why volunteers are so important in the movement to end hunger. Without volunteers, Ozarks Food Harvest would have to find other ways to sort, pack and harvest 100,000 pounds of food every week. That’s the equivalent of more than 83,000 meals.

“There’s a lot that needs to be done,” said Kathy when asked how she realized she cared about the cause. “When you realize that some families are working, but they still have trouble with food. They don’t have enough money to buy food. It’s so sad to think that some kids go to school hungry. It didn’t take too long after I started volunteering here to realize that there was so much food insecurity. It’s not just the homeless people. It’s families – working families.”

As Kathy will tell you, volunteering is a good way to use your time. It’s helped Kathy feel independent and motivated, all while lifting up her community. Volunteering at The Food Bank is fun, active and makes a big difference for our neighbors facing hunger. Kathy shared, “In the beginning, I was after something for me to be around people, but when you get here you realize it’s more than that. It’s good to be helping other people.”

We are so grateful Kathy chose to spend part of her journey with Ozarks Food Harvest, and we’re humbled that her time here has been so meaningful. Our staff and volunteers are just as fulfilled by Kathy’s presence as she is by her time at The Food Bank. Thank you, Kathy, for joining the movement to end hunger in the Ozarks.