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Volunteering at Richmond Food Bank

Today was our last day volunteering at the Richmond Food Bank. I am so grateful we had this opportunity– it has been an extraordinary experience for all of us. I, myself, have been very lucky to work in a community where I have seen dedicated volunteers working countless hours for people and projects they believe in. In my own community centre, the staff devote extra hours for many events, all to help strengthen our community. From these experiences grew a desire within me to try to share this with our children. How can we make them generous with their time and energy for the good of others? How can we teach them to be giving people– people that think of others? Are they too young for these concepts? In my need to answer these questions, I sought to find a volunteer opportunity for them. I thought about many different ideas but the food bank always came out ahead. I was lucky enough to come across an open-minded and risk-taking individual– let's face it, preschoolers getting work done is  a daunting concept– and I applaud his willingness to attempt to embark on this adventure.

It did not come easy- planning, negotiating, scheduling... it all took time and perseverance. But alas, we made it happen, thanks to an awesome teaching team at West, great support from our Director of Child Care, Gina Ho and of course, the staff at the Food Bank.

Each and every month, without fail, we would pile in with our loud voices and energetic bodies to pack snack bags for children coming to the food bank. We tweaked things as we went along– how to best manage the group, how to set up the stations, how to occupy children who weren't packing and many others small factors that every teacher will understand. We discussed. We reflected. And, lo and behold, I think we came to a place where we were all growing and learning.

Was it easy? No.

Children got tired. They got bored. They asked why they had to do it. They asked how much longer they needed to do their work. They wanted to go play (which they always did for half the time in a very well-set-up play area). At times we questioned ourselves... Is this right for the children? Does this fit into our model of being respectful to the children's interests? Are we being responsive to their needs? But, in the end, we always came back to...

Yes, this does align with our philosophy. We are sharing something special with our children. They are learning that:

  • As a team we can make a difference.
  • As an individual, they have the ability to make change.
  • Sometimes we don't want to do things and that is okay, but we still must do them.
  • Giving to others is good for them and is good for us. It makes us feel happy.
  • Working in a group can be both rewarding and challenging.
  • People appreciate people.


So, today, our last day... certificates of appreciation, party food and lots of kudos. I think we all feel pretty proud of this volunteer experience. I hope that they take these lessons with them as they begin their journey into life outside of this school.

Emily

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