Volunteers are the heart of our organization. Each month we focus on a volunteer and share their story. This month we’d like you to introduce you to the Richner family.
Two things brought the Richners to Million Meal Movement: high school and a grandmother’s legacy. Hannah Richner’s high school required volunteer hours. When her mom, Jo, started researching local volunteer opportunities, she remembered a question her grandmother often asked: “Are you cold or hungry?” Offering food and a blanket is the way their family shows love. Jo liked the idea of being able to offer food to the community through Million Meal Movement.
“You can tell more then just who’s in front of you that they are cared for,” Jo says of packing meals with Million Meal Movement. “You can only make so many blankets but a meal will always be needed by someone.”
Jo and Hannah first volunteered with us at our annual Thanksgiving Day pack. They loved it so much that they quickly talked the rest of the family into volunteering. We always say that volunteering with Million Meal Movement is a great way to get to know others in your community. The Richners have truly taken that to heart. They often split up while volunteering so that they can talk to new people and engage in diverse conversations.
They can think of a thousand words to encourage others to volunteer, but if they had to pick just one it would be try.
“Just try and you will see how fun it is. Do you see a problem in the world too big to solve? Just try and fix it. Do something about the world. One small try at a time can be 7.5 billion answers to a problem.”
The Richners balked at first when we told them we wanted to feature them as Volunteers of the Month. The reason? They are moving to Texas later this summer. We couldn’t let them leave without letting them know how much we’ve appreciated their help in the short time they’ve been with us. We will miss them! Our question to you is who is ready to step in and fill their shoes? We’d love to have you!
We know it’s not easy to find volunteer opportunities for the entire family, especially when you want to include younger kids. It’s also difficult to juggle those opportunities with the limited time our busy lives afford us. We strive to make our packing events fun and engaging for our volunteers and participants, so that you’ll want to come back again and again. And while that makes it a good experience on your end, it helps us get closer to our ultimate goal: ending hunger. Thank you to the Richner family – for spending your time making a difference in the lives of hungry Hoosiers and for teaching your children the importance of volunteerism.
We are thrilled when new volunteers walk in the door, no matter their age or experience. Thank you to all our volunteers. Whether you’ve packed 1 meal or 10,000, you’re helping to fight hunger at home. Curious about upcoming volunteer opportunities? Sign up for our volunteer newsletter or like our Facebook page to get the latest volunteer updates.
