City Harvest Volunteering
City Harvest is New York City’s first and largest food rescue organization. Their mission is to support NYC residents struggling with food insecurity by providing them with high-quality, fresh foods that would otherwise go to waste. For over 40 years, City Harvest has collected food from farms, grocery stores, restaurants, and wholesalers and delivered it to hundreds of food pantries, soup kitchens, and community programs. Beyond food rescue, City Harvest also provides nutrition education and partners with local organizations to strengthen the city’s food system. In short, City Harvest works to make nutritious food accessible, from The Bronx to Brooklyn, while reducing food waste.
As a recurring volunteer at City Harvest, I help load unsold produce and bread donations onto a City Harvest truck for distribution to one of the over 400 emergency food programs in the City Harvest’s agency network. In addition, I help set up the market tables and tents, assist with sorting and repacking food items, break down boxes, help with line management, and work with the clean up team when the market closes.
Responsibilities
Through my experience volunteering at City Harvest, I have gained a deeper understanding of NYC’s food insecurity problem and the importance of local organizations' role in addressing it. It’s now more clear to me than ever how much work and coordination is required to make sure that nutritious food reaches the people who need it most. Whether it’s sorting produce or handing out food, I know my actions support the goals of City Harvest’s operation. This experience has strengthened my sense of responsibility and motivates me to continue taking part in service activities that create meaningful impacts on my community.
Reflection