Volunteer Spotlight: Grocery Run Volunteers
Grocery Run is a program that provides weekly, essential grocery hampers to newcomer and refugee families experiencing chronic poverty in Edmonton. When it started in 2013, the Grocery Run served 75 families and now in 2021 they serve 550 families. Every Thursday and Friday morning, 10-15 volunteers meet at the Edmonton Intercultural Centre to portion and pack all of the food donations, while volunteer drivers pick up these bags in the afternoon to deliver to families. Today, we’re shining the spotlight on a few of the regular U of A volunteers that help make this program run smoothly.
Diane Kermay Nielsen, ’77 BSc(HEc), has been volunteering with the Grocery Run for the past three years. Diane worked as a dietitian so she understands the importance of a nutritious diet for good health. Food security is crucial to be productive in society and it feels great to be able to facilitate this for those families in need. Diane also enjoys working with her fellow volunteers; she says they are what keeps her coming back. Everyone she meets is kind, hard-working, respectful of each other and works well as part of the team.
Emily Poon, ’15 Cert(ConstAdm), has been volunteering with the Grocery Run for three years. Emily feels like she has enough in her life and wants to give back to people who don’t have as much. She loves volunteering with the Grocery Run because she helps to change lives. The sense of community created by the volunteers and staff make for a rewarding, fun and meaningful volunteer experience.
Fei Wong, ’92 BScN(Hons), has been volunteering with the Grocery Run for the past four years. Fei believes that food is the building block for health and wants her community to be healthy. She has seen first-hand people who are struggling to make ends meet, which is why she is happy to contribute to the important work at Grocery Run. When Fei thinks about the impact of the Grocery Run, she likes to think about the kids that are being fed through this program and how they could grow up and change the world.
Calvin Kierstead, a criminology student, has been volunteering with the Grocery Run for the past year. He started volunteering as a Community-Service Learning student, where he was required to volunteer 20 hours for his class. He enjoyed it so much that it has turned into weekly volunteering. Calvin enjoys volunteering with the Grocery Run because he has met people from different backgrounds and developed friendships that he wouldn’t have otherwise. Many of his unconscious biases have been tested and he has broadened his perspectives. Calvin has found that volunteering has added to his student experience instead of taking time away from studying or homework. Despite other students struggling this past year, Calvin says this volunteer experience has helped positively impact his mental health by being around others and feeling a sense of community.
The Grocery Run could use your support! The program is in a time of transition, and their funding is in jeopardy. They are campaigning to raise $150,000 to sustain the program for another year. Visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/groceryrun to learn more.
