Volunteer Spotlight: Meet Sarah Brunstad
Volunteers are at the heart of everything we do at Helping Harvest. In fact, we couldn't operate the program without them. Volunteers
give their time, share their talents, and help create a welcoming place where neighbors can support one another with dignity.
We’re pleased to introduce Sarah Brunstad, who joined our volunteer team in February. Sarah discovered Helping Harvest right in her own neighborhood and quickly found that volunteering offers much more than an opportunity to give back. It’s also a chance to connect with the people who make our community special.
How long have you been volunteering with Helping Harvest?
I think my first shift was in February of this year!
What inspired you to volunteer?
I live less than 10 minutes away, and I had been buying my own groceries at Shop N Save. One day, I noticed Helping Harvest’s sign. I had already been thinking about getting involved with a local food pantry or a similar organization as a way to meet people in the community and do something useful with my spare time.
When I inquired about Helping Harvest, I learned that it's accessible to anyone who needs assistance and that it also helps reduce food waste by accepting donations from other local grocery stores and farmers. It's a terrific mission, and with the extreme rise in the cost of living, Helping Harvest provides a really essential service to our community. I buy many of my own groceries there now, too!
What's your favorite part about volunteering?
I have a work-from-home desk job, so I really enjoy the physical part of volunteering. It feels good to get up and move my body for a few hours!
I guess it's cheating to have two answers, but I also really enjoy talking to the customers! It's great to get to know people by recognizing them week after week and sharing little bits of our lives through recipes and chatter.
Do you have a special memory from your time at Helping Harvest?
One of our regular volunteers, Patsy, works almost every Saturday. I happened to work a shift on the weekend of her birthday. Patsy worked that day even though she had a party planned for that evening.
I LOVED seeing the regular customers come in and get excited to see Patsy, who remembers everyone and is especially sweet with the little ones. Everyone was enthusiastic about wishing her a happy birthday, and I could see that her Helping Harvest shifts bring Patsy a lot of joy, too.
It was early on in my volunteering, and it was inspiring!
Thank You, Sarah!
We're so glad Sarah noticed our sign and decided to get involved. Her story reminds us that volunteering is about more than the tasks we accomplish. It's about the relationships we build, the kindness we share, and the sense of community we create together.
Thank you, Sarah, for giving your time, bringing your enthusiasm, and helping make Helping Harvest a welcoming place for everyone who walks through our doors. We're grateful to have you on our team!
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