Harvesters-the Community Food Network

A wonderful local charity serving the needs of thousands and thousands of people in Kansas City! They have daily opportunities for volunteering your time. Personally, if you can swing it, I would suggest everyone spend a few hours or an afternoon here. You get a short little intro session and a quick tour and are shown all the good that Harvesters does. Then you can sort lots and LOTS of donated goods, tossing out opened packages and expired food, and sorting everything else. It’s definitely an eye awakening experience that I would recommend if you can help out. :)

Harvesters is a wonderful Charity in Kansas City. I am here with staff and their families from Turn The Page Online Marrketing. We come every year and it is a great bonding e prince while doing some giving.

Unpacking and packing carrots at Harvesters is great fun. You need a group of 40 people. You need a «Bill» — that is someone to bring the bags to your table. And bring some elementary age kids to help move your bags from the table to the cardboard boxes.

If you live in or around KC, I am sure you have heard of Harvesters, you may have donated cans of food for a food drive at your church, school, or place of employment. If you are a foodie, you may have taken part in KC Restaurant week, where a portion of the proceeds are graciously donated to Harvesters. Maybe you have attended the grand Forks and Corks annual fundraiser. Or, if you are like me, you may have even volunteered your time for this worthy organization.
I learned a lot about Harvesters when volunteering with a large group of ambitious friends in January. Harvesters has been providing food to people in need since 1979, which is the year I was born. Pretty awesome. In any particular week, Harvesters will feed nearly 66,000 people. ANY GIVEN WEEK…66,000 PEOPLE!!! They reach out to 26 counties in Missouri and Kansas. Not only does Harvesters provide food assistance, they provide educational and nutrition programs.
If you and a group of friends are looking for a place to volunteer, I highly recommend an afternoon or morning with Harvesters. I think we were there for about 3 hours, and our jobs ranged from sorting foods to packing and boxing them up so that they could be delivered to the appropriate location. I thought Harvesters only collected nonperishable items, however, businesses like Wal-​Mart and Hy-​Vee do donate items such as bread, cake, chips, crackers, granola bars, fruit snacks and cereal for quick distribution around the city.
The volunteer operation is a smoothly oiled machine… We were welcomed, given a quick overview, and put right to work. It was actually a lot of fun. The warehouse is a little cool, so take a jacket, but make sure you dress in layers, because you might get a little sweaty if you are working fast and furiously. Don’t worry; there are lockers for your personal belongings.
Harvesters is awesome, and I highly recommend getting involved in some way, if you are able.