Food Bank of Northern Nevada issues urgent call for volunteers  

The Fernley Reporter

The Food Bank of Northern Nevada issued an urgent call for volunteer help to sort and pack food at their facility located at 550 Italy Drive off USA Parkway.

The organization has hundreds of thousands of pounds of food that is in need of sorting due to the Stamp Out Hunger Letter Carriers Food Drive in May and other generous donations. This comes at a time that is difficult to recruit volunteers due to summertime activities and vacations by those who volunteer at other times during the year. The Food Bank emphasizes that just one session can help put food on the table for thousands of families facing hunger.

“Volunteers are the heart of our organization,” said Al Brislain, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada. “What many people don’t realize is that with school ending, summer is a time that we see a lot of families struggling and our demand increases. It is a tough time for us to recruit volunteers, and even a small commitment of time will make a large impact in the community.”

In response to the increased need, the Food Bank is celebrating the “Summer of Service” by increasing the number of sessions available for volunteers to come and help. Sessions are now available Monday through Saturday. The Summer of Service available session times are as follows:

Monday through Thursday:  9–11 a.m., 1–3:30 p.m. and 5:30–8 p.m.

Friday: 1–3:30 p.m.

Saturday: 8–10 a.m., 11 a.m.–  p.m., 2–4 p.m.

Volunteers can sign up on-line at fbnn.org. Questions about volunteering and accommodations for groups can be directed to Amanda Sharkey, volunteer coordinator at 775-785-1431 or [email protected].

Hunger is a serious issue in northern Nevada, with one out of every five children in the area not knowing where their next meal is coming from. Volunteers are the vital link between donated food and the families who need it. Volunteers help the Food Bank by sorting and packing food that will be distributed through a network of 145 partner agencies throughout the 90,000 square mile service area.