In honor and celebration of Black History Month, Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida aims to elevate the voices of Black hunger fighters who inspire and feed hope for their neighbors, fostering a sense of community and togetherness in our shared fight against food insecurity.
Ian
Committed to Solving Hunger
As the Volunteer Manager at the food bank, Ian’s role allows him to connect with community members who want to invest sweat equity in Second Harvest’s mission.
“Hunger has always seemed like such a fixable problem in our country, but it takes all of us committing to solve this problem for lasting change to take place,” he said. “So, I joined the fight.”
Ian intentionally switched his career from a for-profit company to a nonprofit organization, a decision that he finds fulfilling because the impactful work aligns with his passion and because the food bank appreciates what he brings to the table.
The most rewarding part is sharing with people unaware of the food bank’s mission and impact.
“The ‘a-ha’ moments and self-gratification they experience help me have hope that we will continue to grow our efforts and accomplish our mission,” Ian said.
He said he believes that representation is important.
“Seeing a Black man who is passionate about impacting the community inspires others to be invested in their own communities,” Ian said. “It also shows them that they aren’t forgotten, they have advocates, and they aren’t just being served but being considered and cared about.”
His advice for others considering getting involved in hunger relief is: Do not get discouraged.
“Even if it feels like you are just helping a few people, the size of your impact on them can be great,” Ian said. “Remain consistent and committed, and you can make a real difference.”
Deborah
Making a Difference Shift after Shift
Deborah has invested her time and energy into fighting hunger by volunteering two to three times a week for the last year and a half.
Frequently, she and her mother, Vera, come to volunteer together to stay active and spend quality time together.
“It makes me feel very good to be able to help where help is needed,” Deborah said.
She said she loves coming to Second Harvest, usually choosing to help sort the meat donations. Her time at the food bank gives her a sense of accomplishment and pride in putting food on the tables of families facing food insecurity.
“I believe that no one should go hungry,” Deborah said. “There is too much food being thrown away that people are in desperate need of.”
She is grateful that Second Harvest helps families access the food they need and that she is enabled to do so through the food bank. Deborah also makes monetary donations so Second Harvest can provide even more meals for her neighbors.
“It is a great place to give back to the community to help families in need,” she said.
Deborah wants to encourage and inspire others to get involved in the fight against hunger.
“To make sure no one goes hungry, you can donate your time, money or drop off food.”
Yolanda
Building Community Builds Hope
Before the Morgan & Morgan Hunger Relief Center on Mercy Drive opened in 2013, Yolanda volunteered for Second Harvest.
Now Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, her role is to advocate for neighbors facing food insecurity, share the story of the impactful mission, and increase awareness through volunteerism.
“Seeing the growth in our community over the years has led to the need for more food support, which I have seen firsthand in our schools, among seniors, and the working impoverished,” Yolanda said.
Yolanda remains active as a volunteer, sorting food donations, packing food boxes, and preparing meals for kids with her co-workers, fellow board members, or family members. She said she is filled with pride and appreciation for Second Harvest and all its community supporters while she’s there lending a helping hand.
“(Volunteering) provides a hands-on approach and an understanding of where the food boxes, school snack kits and fresh food go,” Yolanda said. “Also, the attention to the quality of nutritious food makes me very proud. Seeing the pallets of donations from major corporations and grocers at a local level also strengthens my pride for our community.”
In the community, she sees strides made in fighting food insecurity and ensuring that all neighbors, including those in the Black community, receive the resources they need with dignity.
“Our partner agencies that support our historically Black neighborhoods and community centers are providing the grassroots level of care and support to elevate our neighbors in their time of need,” she said. “They are building trust by involving faith-based organizations and schools to educate the Black community that nutritious food is accessible and its importance to sustaining health.”
Yolanda tells others to be bold, advocate and speak up to fight hunger in Central Florida.
“Your time, talents and treasures are priceless,” she said. “Volunteer, tour one of Second Harvest’s facilities, and share your experience. Your first volunteer experience will not be your last. With each interaction, each board meeting and each volunteer shift, I learn something new about our community and the neighbors we serve.”
