Volunteers Make a Difference

This is National Volunteer Month, when we celebrate the work that volunteers do year-round. The late President George H. W. Bush designated April as the national month to celebrate and honor volunteers as part of the 1000 Points of Light campaign in 1991. As a result, each year at this time, we try to take some time to focus on the gift of our volunteer corps and shine a light on all they do, in joy, happiness and gratitude.

Our volunteers make a difference. We could not distribute 9.5 million pounds of food to those in need without their help. Last fiscal year 2,216 volunteers spent 18,251 hours sorting 1.6 million pounds of donated product. As a result, partner charities received 1.3 million pounds of that food for distribution.

Our volunteers will be celebrated at their annual dinner where we will announce the winner of the Jimmy L. Davis Spirit of Community Award, which is our highest volunteer recognition for an individual. Several other volunteer awards and recognitions will be announced at that time.

“A volunteer is a person who can see what others cannot see; who can feel what most do not feel. Often, such gifted persons do not think of themselves as volunteers, but as citizens – citizens in the fullest sense; partners in civilization.”

President George H.W. Bush
Founder, Points of Light