My First Food Sort

You’re standing on the edge of a long conveyor belt. You look up at the sign above you. You are “Canned Vegetables.” The belt turns on, and the biggest pile of canned green beans you’ve ever seen is coming at you. You get ready; your palms sweat. But suddenly, as you start grabbing cans, you realize how much fun you’re having! It’s your first food sort, and you’re helping build the boxes of food that will feed Milwaukee. Read on to learn about the adventures and experiences of first-time food sorters…then sign up to volunteer to become a Hunger Task Force food sort legend!

 

Reader’s Digest Lends a Hand

 

Reader’s Digest Association volunteers for several food sorts each year, but that doesn’t mean that each group doesn’t have its share of first-time sorters!

Rookies Danielle Calkins and Dulcie Shoener were expecting a lot of bending and lifting when they arrived at Hunger Task Force that afternoon, but they had no idea there was a sleek conveyor belt waiting for them. Starting out with gordians chock-full of food from the recent Stamp Out Hunger food drive, the group quickly got a crash-course in Food Sorting 101 and how to work together on the belt. For instance, Heather Ray started out sorting breakfast cereal, but had to jump over to assist with the piles of canned vegetables and the occasional “macaroni attack.” Karen Scales was also very surprised at how fast the pace was and the variety of foods donated, but she said that the best part was the camaraderie that quickly developed within the group to get the job done while supporting a good cause.

While the food went racing down the conveyor belt and the sorters found their rhythm, many had a chance to reflect on just what a food sort means in this community. Heather Ray was new to the Milwaukee area, and didn’t know much about the local hunger issue. The food sort completely changed her perception, but she was “relieved to learn that there is an organization like Hunger Task Force” working to feed people and advocating for change. Diane Werner also noted “the awakening” she felt after the sort, knowing that there is so much need in our neighborhoods.

By the end of the sort, the Reader’s Digest volunteers had sorted through a massive 23,000 pounds of food, now ready for free delivery to Hunger Task Force’s network of pantries. They gave a victorious fist-pump pose during their group photograph after the sort, and truly deserve a hand for helping feed Milwaukee’s hungry!

 

Camaraderie and Team Work

Cindy Epton might have said it best: “It was heartening to see our progress…my favorite part was the sense of community that quickly emerged.”

Cindy is a member of First United Methodist Church of Waukesha, and a group of 25 volunteers from the church came to Hunger Task Force to do a food sort. For many, it was their first time participating.

The group quickly learned that camaraderie and team work were the way to go as they sorted through 19,000 pounds of food.  “The pace was much faster than I expected, but I was amazed at how organized and efficient everything was,” said one volunteer. From towering boxes of cereal, to intimidating piles of canned cream of mushroom soup, a great team effort turned this group of rookies into seasoned veterans. “There were so many different kinds of food that were coming along on the belt…but nothing could slow us down!”

For Cindy and others, the food sort also made the issue of hunger much more real for them in our community. They were surprised by the amount of food they handled and how that is only a fraction of what is needed here in Milwaukee. One volunteer noted that finding out about the increased need for emergency food in the community was a bit frightening and humbling.  “The food sort made me thankful for what I do have and also gave me the desire to give more to help those in need.”

Another couple—who were busy unloading gordians of food onto the conveyor belt—called the experience “eye-opening” as they tried to grasp the extent of the need for emergency food. They were also very excited to come back and sort again.

“My husband and I very much enjoyed the sense of commitment from those folks who do this on a regular basis,” she said. “We both felt this was something we now want to do on a regular basis!”

 

 

UWM Student Volunteers
Jump Right In

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Center for Volunteerism and Student Leadership sent a group of food sorting first timers to Hunger Task Force. For a rookie group, there is always a bit of uncertainty of what to expect when a 50 foot conveyor belt is staring you down in a large sort room. But these students enthusiastically jumped right in.

For Angela Yost and Craig Wiroll, food sorting was all about the pace and working together. Yost thoroughly enjoyed the challenge of catching all the canned soups that came shooting down the belt, and Wiroll was amazed at the amount of team work required to make sure no cans were missed. “Communication was very important, and I was surprised how fast we were able to sort the food after it was placed on the belt,” he said.

The large sorting room and conveyor belt didn’t surprise Cristina Miller—she had some past experience working in shipping and receiving, and it felt “natural” for her to be stationed by the canned vegetables, one of the busier stations on the belt. However, the wide variety of food coming through on the belt was eye-opening to her, and she noted she was already busy thinking about how she could encourage other people to give so that the hungry have access to the same variety of food as everyone else.

Liz Treutel—who was also enjoying the quick pace by sorting canned vegetables—was surprised to see how much food is actually donated. “I was very surprised about how many children face poverty and hunger issues in our city,” she said. “But it was nice to see how many people donate, and how much food there is out there.”

At the end of their three hour sort, these volunteer students sorted through an impressive 24,000 pounds of food! And more importantly, they came away from the experience with new perspective and excitement about spreading the word. “By taking part in a food sort, you realize what a huge problem hunger is in Milwaukee, and you want to make sure others in the community feel the same way,” said Wiroll.

Thank you, UWM!

 

Go Getters Go At It

College students getting up early on a Saturday morning? It’s no myth, because the Marquette University Go Getters—a student-run business club—were at Hunger Task Force bright and early to participate in their first food sort.

Being a first time group, some of the students were not quite sure what to expect. Some students thought they would be working in a small food pantry environment, while others expected a quiet room where they would fill boxes with food in a “slow process.” They were a little bit surprised when they saw a giant warehouse with food stacked to the ceilings and a large sort room fully equipped with a 50 foot conveyor belt.

Faye Telecky was one of the surprised, although she admitted a tinge of excitement when the first wave of peanut butter came at her. “It surprised me how fast-paced the process was, and how important teamwork became,” said Telecky. “I was also helping those sorting canned vegetables and dinner protein…it was really exciting each time we got a huge pile to sort through!”

After finding her rhythm at the fruit station, Colleen McDonnell also noticed how many different items were coming through on the belt. “What surprised me the most was the variety of items that people donate to Hunger Task Force…the food sort helped me to realize that people don’t just need or want basic food—they want to have a variety of foods just like the rest of us.”

As the students quickly went from rookies to a well-oiled food sorting machine, their perceptions about the food sort and Milwaukee’s hunger problem really came into focus. “Obviously, with the recession hitting Milwaukee hard there has been an increase in the demand for these food pantries,” said JP Seral. “Looking at the enormous amount of food that we sorted at Hunger Task Force, I really gained a better appreciation of the need that is out there and how generous the giving is,” added Joel Mishork.

By the end of the sort, the Go Getters truly lived up to their name. They sorted 27,000 pounds of food in just under 3 hours, and many were anxious to come back and do it again. Their hard work and enthusiasm truly made a difference for many families in Milwaukee. Thank you Go Getters!