Alma’s love for volunteering is deeply rooted in the belief that everyone has an important role to play in supporting their community.
Growing up in India instilled in her a culture of helping the community around her, she says.
“We would go to outlying villages once a week, distribute food and medicine and clothing, [things] that I accepted needed to be done for others,” Alma says.
After emigrating to Canada 50 years ago, Alma married, raised her family, enjoyed a professional career at the University of Toronto and a hydroelectric power station, and continued to volunteer in her local community.
Retirement and becoming a widow gave Alma even more time to dedicate to volunteering. During a visit to Wichita, Kansas, where Alma’s daughter lives, she discovered the Kansas Food Bank.
She volunteered for a short stint then and continues to volunteer whenever she visits her daughter. Alma is driven by a desire to help wherever needed.
Alma especially encourages fellow retirees to join her in volunteering because she says it can bring joy and a sense of purpose to life. She emphasizes that volunteering not only benefits neighbors receiving food but also enriches the lives of the volunteers through new experiences and connections.
“Every individual is different, and every individual can add to your wealth of feelings, to your wealth of information, diversity, and I think overall happiness,” Alma says of her volunteering experience.
Thank you, Alma — and every volunteer who donates their time and energy to continue and expand important outreaches through the Kansas Food Bank!