Four years ago, Monte’s wife came home from a volunteer shift at the Kansas Food Bank. “She has a passion for making sure schoolkids get fed, especially on the weekends,” he explains. That passion was an inspiration to him.
He adds, “When I retired, we talked and decided, let’s volunteer together.”
Now, volunteering is not just a hobby for Monte. It is a lifestyle, one that he is glad to share with his wife and the tight-knit group they volunteer with.
“We really get a lot out of giving… not concentrating on us, but on how we can affect the community in a positive way,” he shares.
During a typical volunteer shift, the couple helps put together packets of food for Food 4 Kids, the Kansas Food Bank’s weekend backpack program for school-age children.
Their involvement has had a ripple effect on Monte’s social circle, even inspiring his former fraternity brothers to donate time and funds as well.
If volunteering is something you are interested in, Monte has a word of encouragement for you. “Give it a try,” he says. “We don’t bite,” he adds with a laugh.
The Kansas Food Bank can provide nutritious food to so many Kansans because of volunteers like Monte and his wife. If you would like to join him in giving your time, please visit kansasfoodbank.org/volunteer.