By MATT PIKE
The United Way of Greater St. Joseph is bringing back a popular volunteer program after two months off, seeking volunteers for the Caring Connections Crew
Director of Community Investment Jodi Flurry says during the program around 30 to 40 volunteers will pack kits of some sort
"They will be packing in the next two weeks several hundred meal kits, so these are meal kits that are shelf stable food that will go out to the community through local agencies who come and get them to hand out to their clients, as well as people who just simply come to United Way,” Flurry says on the KFEQmunnity show. “But we need people to come volunteer to pack meal kits, in other months we might be packing a fresh start kit or hygiene kits, but for the next two weeks we’re going to have three different sessions through the United Way Caring Connection Crew, inviting the community to come in and help pack these kits.”
The program launched last year but saw a boom in volunteers during a short freeze in SNAP, or food stamp benefits during a lengthy government shutdown.
Flurry says volunteers packed several thousand meal kits for people in need of extra food in November and December
"Some regularly, like their goal was they wanted to volunteer for every session, and sometimes it was like a brand-new person, which is awesome that this is their way to volunteer, they want to do something,” Flurry explains. “And it’s a short time commitment, it’s an hour and a half, it’s inside so you don’t have to worry about the rain or the drizzle, but it is a short time commitment, it is fun, it is easy, and it really has an impact.”
The United Way of Greater St. Joseph has several volunteer opportunities happening for people to help make an impact within their community
Flurry says the great thing about many of these opportunities is they are a short time commitment, knowing many may not have several hours to be able to volunteer
"We want to provide these opportunities for individuals, families to come volunteer,” Flurry says. “And with the Caring Connection Crew, next week is spring break for the St. Joseph School District, so we are actually having a session during the day so kids who might be on spring break or a family who might be looking for something to do while their kids are home on spring break, that’s going to be Wednesday at 1:30, we have weekend events for people who might work during the week and can’t come, and then we also have evening events.”
The first opportunities to be part of the Caring Connections crew are next week on March 11th and March 14th, with a final opportunity this month on March 18th.
More volunteer opportunities will be available throughout the year. To volunteer, you can contact the United Way or visit its website.
You can follow Matt on X @KfeqMatt and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.