I agreed to be a Loader. A Loader, I was told, had to have the ability to lift at least 50-70…read morepounds for three hours. Naturally, I saw this as a challenge, and I accepted. The Greater Boston Food bank employs 14,500 volunteers and provides 19.5 million meals to 320,000 people in New England annually, not just Boston. Volunteers allow the GBFB to defer nearly $600,000 in payroll costs. Wow. Volunteers help in many ways, but mainly by inspecting, sorting and re-packing food at the Roxbury warehouse. Here is what my team accomplished in an afternoon shift: . Number of volunteers: 43 . Total pounds of food sorted: 10,412 (Ten Thousand Pounds!) . Total pounds of food salvaged: 8,330 . Pounds of food sorted per volunteer: 194 . Meals made possible per volunteer: 149 . Total meals made possible by NAIOP volunteers: 6,407 There are many ways to help. You can donate money. You can donate food. You can volunteer for a less physically demanding job. Just do something.

If you're looking for a place to volunteer, this is it. Good for singles or groups. Call ahead,…read moresign in, get ready to sort. Huge new clean place used to sort donated food. It's awesome. You get a rundown on food safety, what to look for, how the process works, then you're off to the main room to sort. It's actually kinda fun. And the facility is nice and new so it's definitely safe and good. Bonus - they feed you expired candy and crap after you're done! Yay!?

I had the wonderful opportunity of volunteering at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank and it was…read moresuch a great experience! The staff was wonderful and I loved how they have tips for staying healthy and low budget recipes to try which I can't wait to share with my friends and family. Thank you for all you do!!

Quote from Main Page "The Rhode Island Community Food Bank…read moreworks to end hunger in Rhode Island by providing food to people in need. We envision a day when all Rhode Islanders have access to nutritious food and a healthy lifestyle." The amount of goodwill provided by this organization is amazing. Through programs like the Community Kitchen, Kids Cafe and the Express Pantry, Rhode Islanders in need have access to food and can work on learning critical skills for life. Volunteers are always welcome here. I could not think of a better organization to become a part of. From sorting in the food bank, to working in a community garden or even helping out in the Community Kitchen, there is something for everyone. Please go to the website if you are in need of assistance or are looking to become a part of the organization!

I do like the Marlborough Food pantry however in the past few months the offerings have been less…read more For example, I did not get cereal, milk, peanut butter or dairy the last time I went. I have been getting a huge surplus of potato's and onions. Maybe where it is winter the vegetable options are a little less. I have gotten chicken which is great but in the past was offered more types of meat. I work full-time and am just a little bit above the amount I would need to qualify for food stamps. Cost of living and having a car and insuring it is high so I rely on the food pantry for the bulk of my food. I understand you get what you get and I am grateful for it.

I will never go here again. That should start to explain things…read more If it makes it a little confusing, then let me go into detail. We, myself and one other person, came in early on a Wednesday morning. It was the 13th, to be specific. And we came in at approximately 8:56 am. What we didn't know however, was that it was Senior hour from 9:30 am to 10:30. That isn't what I'm complaining about though. Sure, we were a bit miffed that this wasn't on the website when we came but we didn't have any problem with it. We just sat there and waited for our turn. Then, at exactly 10:26, did the rest of the people who weren't 60+ started coming and we were at the front of the line. By now, we were just happy to be getting our turn. Then, a man, whose name I will not disclose, asked if he could move forward with the last people from the line for the 60+. They asked his age, from which he respectfully replied that he was 59. They let him in. But, now you see, this is where the plot thickens. He had someone with him. A woman who was clearly disabled in a walker who needed help to move around. They didn't let her in. This was a conundrum. Why? Let me go back. Before, there was another woman in the 60+ line who pulled along with her a young woman who was clearly in her 30s and very capable of staying behind and waiting her turn. So then, I ask you, was it fair that this 30 yr old was allowed access, while this poor, disabled woman was forced to wait outside, uncomfortable, like a common stray dog? I think not. Hence, the other person that I was with, started asking the guy who was at the front door, why they didn't let the woman in. She, the other person, was very respectful, and tried her best to be understood, because she had a bit of an accent and some words ran together occasionally. The guy looked a bit affronted. Then a woman who worked there came out and the whole thing started all over again. Then, he came out. I believe his name is Will McGovern. The pantry manager. This guy had to be 6'3 maybe, with a beer gut, blond, blue eyes, and holding a shake from McDonalds. He came out with fury in his eyes. He then started spewing, and pardon my language, bullshit about how she was disrespecting his employees, and a whole bunch of other shit. I swear, the guy was on a rampage. The people behind us were shocked. And angry. She looked shocked as well. She vehemently denied this, stating that she had only been asking. Anyone with eyes could see this. Literally anyone. The guy just kept saying "I dunno. I only know what I heard." In this namby-pamby little prissy boy voice. I was shaking by this point. Not from fear though. Oh no, not from fear. Rather, from anger. Anger that this incompetent little overgrown brat called this other person, who happens to be a close family member of mine, a liar. He then proceeded to pluck the card, the card that you use to get in, right from her hand and said that he would permanently take this away from her if she continued to disrespect his employees. I had enough of this by this point. I got right up in his face and told him off. I said, "Sir, I apologize for whatever you think you heard, but clearly, you are not listening. She told you what happened but you just wan't to live in your own little world of denial. I can vouch for this woman. She is trustworthy and she has never lied a day in her life. Never. She is painfully honest." I then started to say MY piece because he had his turn. It was my turn now. He was silent. Shocked in fact. I don't like causing trouble with people. I'm usually pretty easy going. But, this man, no wait, this Lounge Lizard, this social parasite, insulted us, disrespected us, and treated us like we were nothing. Like we were less than nothing. My grandparents didn't come here, to this country, to be treated like some bothersome parasite. We did not fight for our freedom, to be treated like crap. So that, when we need a little help, a little helot get back on our feet, to be treated like a common slave. So, if you, Lounge Lizard, social parasite Will McGovern, are reading this, I hope you feel ashamed of your actions. Will McGovern is a racist man who hates woman and Latinx people!

Excellent organization! Great people! Working for the less fortunate. Love their work and kindness.read more

SERVICE REQUESTED :…read more Free tapwater filled into 2 5gal jugs. *from outside spicket!!!! (due to being homeless in the summer with animals..) QUALITY OF SERVICE GIVEN : I won't say it was service cause it was anything but. This man was not only rude without reason, he enjoyed being mean and you could tell.. We are very quiet nice people my fiancé and I, we don't do anything but work and try to fix our situation because we don't enjoy being in it ..We are in an area where we have no access to water unless we go somewhere. so instead of going into a restaurant or business we chose a place that is supposed to aim at helping those in need. After being given permission by a person who claimed to be the "manager" of the NH food bank at the Manchester, NH East Industrial Park Drive location one night, after he had seen us going to fill up at night from an outside spicket in the parking lot *while the place was closed. We thought about it first and figured we actually felt like this would be the best place to do this cause they might actually be nice people like they claim to be in wanting to help people. However, after filling our water jugs a couple times per week for maybe a month (after hours so as to not bother anyone) which is when we got permission, we were approached by a man who said HE was the manager - alongside the man who had already claimed to be manager originally and were very rudely told "This is your last fillup you hear me? Go to the fire station!" In a very unwelcoming tone that actually startled us. when we stated we had permission, he quickly and abruptly snapped "no you don't!" Now, mind you - we've never been rude or stepped out of place with the food bank or any employees there, we had just politely requested water from an outside spicket cause it was summer and we were homeless at the time with animals.. I thought this place was supposed to care about those in need?? That was part of their mission was to serve the community. I didn't realize that only meant those who had money to donate & were not struggling. If this is what the donations pay for is for people to be extremely rude, judgemental, very unwelcoming, and to tell those in need that they weren't allowed to get free help from a place by means of FREE TAPWATER - Then the people donations dollars are definitely being wellspent, otherwise I know exactly where our money we are currently waiting to receive is NOT going. We will make sure it goes to places that actually help like they say they are doing and not the ones lying about it. Don't people like that realize It's hard enough to be struggling like this with nowhere to call home at night or to not be in a warm bed and feel safe?? Apparantly they don't care either. So to have a place that is supposed to help those in need turn you away for something of no cost to them even being that much of a necessity, and so rudely, I feel even more hopeless now more than ever... So thank you, and my animals that needed that water badly this afternoon say thanks as well The person running this place is mean and should not be in charge of a place like this at all.. I work two jobs my fiancé practically works around the clock and we drive a vehicle that frankly I thought would at least show people we try very hard to fix our situation and we have money just no home but this kind of thing shows me that the problem isn't hiding among the people struggling at all, it's in plain sight in the horrible ones who are running things! As long as that man runs that place it won't help anyone who needs it, I'd love to see where that money people donate under false pretense every year REALLY goes.!!

I volunteer here. The crew in the warehouse are all great to work with. The gals in the offices are…read morealso great. The crew upstairs in the culinary class do amazing things feeding the community. I love being part of helping to feed people in my state.

This is a great place to save a little money while helping the community. The volunteers are…read morefriendly and the place is ran smoothly. The place is clean and the food is not out of date. Shopping carts are also provided which is extremely helpful. Overall this is a great place and the volunteers really put their dedication into making your trip a pleasant experience. Every time I check out I get a thank you for supporting their business.

Great market, great prices, fresh produce and really friendly volunteers there to help. Description…read morefrom their website. "Hope Market is stocked with donations from our partners in the retail food industry and is open to anyone who needs to stretch their weekly grocery budget. All proceeds from Hope Market help Feed RI deliver up to 150 pallets of food every month (free of charge!) to nonprofit organizations and community groups who feed their communities."

Cindy is a wonderful person and is always so welcoming and helpful! She is always there for local…read morecharities and her store is a fun adventure-shop local!!!!!!

I have been a fan of Sunrise Boutique since Cindy opened it many years ago. She's always had a…read morewide variety of items such as unusual jewelry of all types: necklaces, earrings, bracelets and pins. She also sells candles, knickknacks, beautiful scarves and sweaters, dresses, shoes, jeans, dresses and hats and even lingerie last time I stopped in. All of her items are of very good quality so you can bet it will last, especially if you take good care of them. It's a wonderland of what you will find next. I don't live in the area anymore, but when I am back, always make it a point to stop in and browse around. It's a very unique store. The owner is a very down to earth lady who Is very friendly as is all her staff. Helping out small businesses is great. You never know what treasure you will find in the Sunrise Boutique, give them a try.