I visited Kids Food Basket (KFB) and had a chance to get to know their volunteer coordinator Laura Fisher. Below is our conversation.
Sky Pruitt: How long have you been a volunteer coordinator?
Laura Fisher: This is my second year working at Kids Food Basket, but I've also had the priviledge of working with volunteers at both Grand Rapids Childrens Muesum and Chicago Children's Muesum.
SP: What is Kids Food Baskets top three proirities for 2014?
LF: We work on a School Year calender at KFB and one of our big goals for this year in the operations department was to implement a volunteer scheduling program that contained a database and allowed families and individuals to schedule themselves in to volunteer. We were able to start using the program, Volunteer Hub, over the summer and we've had great feedback from volunteers so far!
SP: What is your job like? What are your responsibilities?
LF: I spend a lot of time talking on the phone, giving tours and emailing volunteers about volunteering. I work with the operations team to make sure that we have the over 170 volunteers scheduled each day that we need to get the kids meals packed and delivered. I love talking to all the different volunteers from large groups of adults to students who need service hours for school.
SP: How do you deliver foods/serivces to kids in Grand Rapids?
LF: Each day we have about 30 drivers who come to Kids Food Basket and pick up meals in their own cars. They drive them to the schools when we serve our kids. Once the meals arrive at the schools they are handed out at the end of the day or receive them in their afterschool program.
SP: Are donations to Kids Food Basket deductible?
LF: Yes.
SP: Where do you see Kids Food Basket in 10 years?
LF: I hope Kids Food Basket will be serving more kids in the Greater Grand Rapids area, but I hope that communities around the country will use our model our model to creat sack supper programs in their own areas. No child should have to go to bed hungry at night.
SP: What are some of the ways to volunteer for Kids Food Basket?
LF: You can come on our website to volunteer-sign up on our website. You can also decorate bags at home or hold a food/money drive for Kids Food Basket in your community or school.
SP: What do you like to do for fun?
LF: For fun I like to do arts and crafts and play with my family. We love to swim, travel and have a good time on adventures together.
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