"If we weren’t here, I don’t know how our neighbors and our communities would be able to continue,” said Alisha Keezer-Lewis, Director of Supply Chain at Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley. “We are so fortunate that we have been able to provide this assistance.”

With an increasing demand for food, nonprofits like Second Harvest distributed 279,762 daily meals last week with the help of volunteers, according to data collected by #SiliconValleyStrong.

Volunteers are a pivotal force in Santa Clara County’s response to COVID-19.

Whether tasks involve beautifying a park or unpacking pallets of produce, these neon-cladded volunteers serve as a constant reminder about the force that unites us all– our humanity.

PRNS staff members prepare food bags for distribution at Santee Elementary School on May 8, 2020.

Newly released data from LinkedIn shows members have added more than 110,000 volunteer experiences and activities to their profile each month, more than double the rate in 2017.   

Organizations like the American Red Cross has also seen a 20-percent increase in new volunteer applications where 30 percent of its volunteer workforce is now between the ages of 25 to 49, according to The Non Profit Times.   

Whether volunteers are giving back to the community to help support fellow neighbors or just to stay busy, there is no doubt that volunteering ultimately benefits the community as a whole.

“We have so many different volunteers that do lots of different types of volunteering,” said Mollie Tobias, Program Manager of the Volunteer Management Unit at the Department of Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services (PRNS).

“I think being able to come out and be part of your neighborhood is a wonderful way to build community,” added Tobias.

Volunteers have come from all corners of the valley to give back to those in need and it is important to keep supporting our nonprofit partners as demand for food increases every day.

Food distribution sites have seen an increase in demand and are in need of volunteers to continue serving residents in need. Photo taken at Anderson Elementary School on May 8, 2020.

According to #SiliconValleyStrong data, 24,467 total meals were served last week as part of the City and County’s Senior Nutrition Programs, with 3,790 meals served daily to seniors alone.

Second Harvest also distributed 1.9 million total meals in that same time period, a remarkable achievement that continues to inspire residents to volunteer where they are needed the most.

“I wanted to give back to the community,” said Zareen Khan, a Software Development Engineer who volunteered at a food giveaway over the summer at Emma Prusch Farm Park. “A lot of people can’t leave their homes right now. So, for people like us who can, we try to give back to those who are vulnerable. I think that’s the most important thing right now.”

Volunteer organizes pallets of fresh produce at a food giveaway over the summer at Emma Prusch Farm Park. Photo taken on June 20, 2020.

Today, our nonprofit partners are able to continue feeding residents impacted by COVID-19, but the need for volunteers remains an urgent priority.

And with varying volunteer event dates and multiple locations spread throughout San José– giving back has never been easier.

“I feel really lucky and privileged that my area wasn’t hit as much,” Khan explained. “So anyway that we can give back to our community, you know we’re there for everyone.”

As the month of September begins, Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley are both in need of volunteers to continue distributing food for the community at various sites.

Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County

• Visit www.catholiccharitiesscc.org for more information and to sign up as a volunteer, please text your name and number to 408-420-6905.

Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley

• Visit www.shfb.org/give-help/volunteer for more information and sign up to volunteer online.

If you are in need of food assistance, please visit GetCalFresh.org to request or call 1-877-847-3663 (FOOD) to connect with your County Social Services Officer. You can also go to Second Harvest of Silicon Valley shfb.org/getfood or call 1-800-984-3663 and one of their Food Connection Specialists can help you find out if you qualify. 

#SiliconValleyStrong #SVEats #KeepSVHealthy