Karen runs the Worcester Community Kitchen and Food Shelf in Worcester, VT. With your help and Karen’s love and dedicated service, help is there for people in central Vermont struggling with hunger. After volunteering at the Vermont Foodbank, here’s what she had to say:
“While bringing a group of volunteers to the Foodbank this morning, I told them this place was like Disneyland to me. Of course, I got some strange looks, so I went on to explain. The Vermont Foodbank is like Disney to me, because of all the happiness contained inside. It is truly a happy place for me. I run a community lunch and a food shelf, so upon seeing this place, in my mind, I see all the happy people and hear the grateful stories of what it means to receive food.
In my town of a little more than 1,000 residents, on average 100 people show up to share a meal at noon every Wednesday. On average we serve 48 families each month with supplemental/emergency food from our food shelf. I have heard the desperate voices, seen the tears of their struggles and the gratitude of having a way to feed their family with good, nutritious food. What gets better than that?
For the first time in my life, I have experienced food insecurity through the eyes of others. Being part of the Foodbank, as a network partner and a mentor that brings volunteers to the Foodbank, I am proud to share my excitement with them, it is a great feeling. Thus, for me, going to the Foodbank is like a trip to Disneyland!”
Having been on the receiving end of help himself over the years, Michael, the cook at Mustard Seed in St. Johnsbury is giving back by making sure his neighbors have a nourishing meal and a warm place to chat.
Bob and Barb are Vermont farmers with a passion for growing and sharing one staple, nutrient-dense crop with their community: potatoes. They also partner with Vermont Foodbank to make sure their local potatoes are available to neighbors experiencing hunger.
A new survey reported by CNN on 3/12/26 reveals that many Americans are skipping meals to pay for rising health care costs: “Roughly one-third of respondents – equivalent to more than 82 million Americans – said they have had to cut back on at least one daily living expense to cover their health care bills, according to the survey of nearly 20,000 adults.”
