I started volunteering at Boulder’s Emergency Family Assistance Association (EFAA) in February of 2024. I work in the food bank, which operates like a free grocery store (albeit with some restrictions) for people who are food insecure. In my work, I mainly stock shelves, sort produce, and interact with participants. In its Fiscal Year 2025, the EFAA food bank distributed 1.36 Million pounds of food to 2,265 participating households (representing a total of 6,142 individuals). From being involved in the daily operations of the food bank, I knew that we were distributing a lot of food but this annual total was even higher than I imagined.
I have learned a lot from volunteering at EFAA and I am not exaggerating when I say that the experience has had a profound impact on me. I recall telling a friend when I started my work at the food bank and his immediate question was “isn’t that depressing?” I am not sure whether this would be a common perspective, but it motivates one of the most surprising aspects of volunteering at EFAA. Far from being depressing, my time spent at EFAA is positively uplifting. I get more from my time at EFAA than I feel like I am putting in. Being in the food bank has me interacting with a cadre of volunteers who are genuinely well-intentioned and positive about what they are doing, and many of them have been volunteering for a long time. The participants (the people who use the food bank) contribute to the the sense of a vital community. Using the food bank means that you have a shortage of resources, yet almost all participants are friendly and positive to be in contact with. Contributing to this ecosystem makes me feel happier about my community and my role in it.
It is inspiring being able to help people to obtain more and better food. Some of the food is purchased by EFAA, but much of it is donated. EFAA receives a considerable amount of food from grocery stores that is too close to the ‘sell by’ date. Food drives and other donations tend to be partly comprised of food that is older than you would find at a store, too. EFAA has strict guidelines for determining that the food that we distribute is good. By getting this high-quality food into participants’ hands, we are playing a role in reducing food waste, which feels really good because the USDA estimates that 30% to 40% of the U.S. food supply is wasted.
Another aspect of my experience at EFAA is how it makes me appreciate my circumstances. The practice of gratitude is widely understood to contribute to overall happiness. Volunteering at the food bank reminds me that most of my concerns pale by comparison to the prospect of being food insecure. Based on my anecdotal observations, many of the people who come through the food bank are working parents. I never experienced food insecurity or money shortages when I was raising my kids, but I can imagine how stressful this would be. Volunteering is a constant reminder of how fortunate I am and how much of my privilege is a result of the luck of the draw.
Many people, myself included, worry about all that we observe that is wrong in the world. Working to provide people with food is my actionable response. I recall, years ago, reading Stephen Covey’s work that emphasized the importance of focusing your energy on your circle of influence rather than spending a lot of time worrying about things that you are not able to change. Helping people to have access to more and better food is within my sphere of influence, thanks to EFAA.
Note: The views expressed here are my own and I do not represent EFAA
Geoff Considine on Finance and Economics 