If you can’t feed 100 people, then feed just one.    --Mother Teresa

Our Team had the opportunity to spend some time serving at Second Harvest on Monday, November 26. While moving potatoes from small bags to larger bags helps the food bank get the food to people in need, it also provided a great opportunity for the team to come together, work together, and have some laughs (notice the beard guard). While there, the volunteer coordinator and staff of Second Harvest encouraged us to understand the mission and reach of the organization. 

Second Harvest is a food bank in Southern Wisconsin that has put more than 100 million meals on the table of the 1 in 10 who are facing hunger in southwestern Wisconsin. The organization works with hundreds of local hunger-relief charities, including Middleton Outreach Ministry and The River Food Pantry, to provide food to families.

As a former educator, I have seen the effects of hunger on students. When students arrive to school without breakfast, it is difficult for them to focus, often causing disruption and loss of learning time. There is also a great need for families during school breaks. Second Harvest works with schools and community organizations to meet the needs of families.

So, with any group serving situation, we as a team probably gained more from the experience than Second Harvest did from our time there. While we worked hard, repackaging three palettes of potatoes, we also met some great people at Second Harvest, learned a lot about a fantastic organization and grew closer as a team. 

During this holiday season, we encourage you to get out there and support local organizations that you care about. Maybe it’ll be at Second Harvest (https://www.secondharvestmadison.org), or maybe you’ll ring a bell or give to Toys for Tots. It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as we remember what Albert Einstein said: 

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”

And you’ll probably have fun doing it. 

-Jaye Barbeau