All week long, we are celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week by introducing you to some of the special people that act as the arms and legs of the Food For Free mission through their volunteer efforts.
Meet Mary Campion, a Heat-n-Eats volunteer, a new volunteer recruiter, and a loyal Food For Free Instagram account follower! We are so excited to have Mary on our team, because she came to us through our food donor partnership with Boston University. We love to see the ripples of community impact that our programs make, and how they inspire people to get more involved in contributing to reducing food waste and increasing food security!
Tell us something about yourself!
I work as a Research Associate at LifeCanvas Technologies, which is an MIT biotech start-up. I’m originally from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Outside of volunteering, my other hobbies include exploring Boston on foot, biking, trying new coffee spots with friends, playing rec field hockey, and amateur candle making!
What is your favorite Food For Free volunteer shift?
My favorite shift is the Heat-n-Eats meal packing shift because I love being a part of the meal preparation and seeing the organization that goes along with preparing for food deliveries.
What motivated you to start volunteering with Food For Free?
During my time at Boston University, I was an active member of their Student Food Rescue program, which actually coordinates with Food For Free for securing dining hall food donations. After graduating, I thought it would be really cool to volunteer on the other side of the program, so I signed up to assist at Food For Free.
What is a big highlight or fond memory you have of volunteering with us?
The highlights of my Food For Free experiences have been being able to convince several of my friends to join me on shifts and watching them greatly enjoy the experience with me.
Please provide a quote that summarizes your perspective on volunteering with Food For Free.
Volunteering with Food For Free has taught me so much about the power of community in lifting its members up and distributing resources amongst each other. Volunteering with this team has reinforced my perspective that strategically making use of existing food that would otherwise go to waste is one of the best ways to mitigate both the environmental consequences of food waste, while simultaneously working to address the needs of our community.
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Join Mary and the rest of the team at Food For Free: check out our volunteer information page here!
