Moms. Students. Corporate Executives. Retirees. Entire organizations. Your neighbors. The BackPack Beginnings family is a big one, with a colorful array of people joining us from all walks of life to help get food to children in need. They are a happy bunch, showing up with a smile on their face, ready to do any job – big or small. They are the gift that make it possible to take the vast majority of the donations made to BPB and give it right back to the people in need.
They are the gift that has contributed to the expansion of the BPB program in just a short amount of time. They are the gift that changes people’s live
“It’s amazing knowing that the small role I play in BackPack Beginnings can make a big difference in children’s lives.”
-Collins Pugh, student volunteer.
I’m never short of amazed by the number of people in our community who are more than willing to donate hours and hours out of their busy lives to volunteer to help others. It’s one of the things that makes Greensboro such a very special place. BPB alone has over 100 volunteers walk through its doors on a weekly basis and has had thousands of volunteers since its inception.
“Every time I pull away from delivering the food, my heart feels happy.”
– Dawn Law, delivery volunteer and mother of three.
People are motivated to volunteer for different reasons, but whatever the reason, the benefits are not only to the people in need. Recently, a study presented by CNCS in a report titled “The Health Benefits of Volunteering: A Review of Recent Research,” has established a strong relationship between volunteering and health: those who volunteer have lower mortality rates, greater functional ability, and lower rates of depression later in life than those who do not volunteer. It turns out volunteering is not only good for your heart from an emotional standpoint….but also a physical one.
“Anytime you can help somebody else I think you receive more than you give.”
– Kate Morrow, retired teacher and BPB volunteer.
Every single volunteer, no matter how many times they have helped, no matter how big or small their job has been, has been a huge gift to BackPack Beginnings. Thank you to each and every one of our volunteers for providing their talents and their time to our organization.
It is a gift for which we will be forever grateful. A gift that may forever change a child’s life.
Written on 4/7/16 by Blogger Courtney Murphy
