Midterm paper. Experience Working at Food Bank for New York City Organization

Experience Working at Food Bank for New York City Organization Name Institutional Affiliation
Experience Working at Food Bank for New York City Organization Whenever food insecurity, hunger or starvation is mentioned, the picture of malnourished food in some rain-starved remote region of the world comes to the minds of most people. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Ignored by some and unknown to many, hunger is all around us. It is not a phenomenon just seen on the television, but a struggle that people around us face every day. It is no longer a burden borne by the people living in remote deserts, but also by people walking the streets of some of the world’s biggest cities. Since this problem is all around, there is a need for all to join hands and help address the challenge in their own small or big ways. While people move to urban places to look for opportunities to better their lives, some are not lucky enough to achieve their dreams. Others who are already in employment lose their jobs, finding themselves in deep financial problems. This has led to an increase in the number of people struggling to acquire food in urban places. A 2017 report revealed that 12.5% of households in New York City face some form of food insecurity. Though this was a drop from the figures in the previous year, there is still a need to address the problem further (Hunger Solutions New York, 2017).  It was for this reason that I gladly took the chance to volunteer at the Food Bank for New York City Organization when it arose. The Food Bank for New York City, which was founded in 1983, is a non-profit organization that offers various social services. The aims of the organization are to collect information regarding various needy New York City citizens and organize for food and other forms of support for them. It was formed following research that showed close to two million citizens of the city were under the threat of hunger. The organization has a network of over 1000 food providers, including soup kitchens, cheap day care centers, food pantries, shelters, and rehabilitation centers. It also runs a Kid’s Café, where free meals are provided to children after school. The organization provides an estimated 400,000 free meals on any given day. From the time it was founded, the organization has helped collect, warehouse, and distribute over 740 million pounds of food. Governed by a board of directors that is voluntary, the organization employs over 100 people on a full-time basis. This workforce is complemented by a strong team of volunteers. The food distributed by the organization is donated by various government agencies, Fulton Fish Market, America’s Second Harvest, among others. The Farm-2-Food Bank Campaign is an initiative that brings the farmers, bakers, fishers, and various agencies together to improve food security among the city dwellers.  I had no idea of the experience I would have during my time at the Food Bank. However, there are a number of goals I aimed to achieve for the eight hours I dedicated to the voluntary service every week. Above fulfil...