From the Holiday 2022 Local Harvest Newsletter.
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When Kim’s job as an early childhood educator was suspended during the pandemic lockdown, the family relied on Harvesters, picking up groceries for themselves and their neighbors. Now, they are paying that kindness forward.

“If you have the time, skills, and ability, I think it just makes sense to give back, and serve, and be helpful to the community,” says Kim, mother of two children, Violet Noel, 11, and Teddy, 13.

Over summer break, Kim says the children created a “bucket list” of summer activities. One of the items on their list: community project. Kim encouraged her kids to volunteer at Harvesters to help distribute food in the school district where the kids are enrolled.

“By volunteering in our own community, we saw teachers and families we knew,” she says. “It got the kids excited about volunteering.”

Despite feeling the pinch at the grocery story due to recent high inflation, Kim and her husband are back on their feet financially. But the parents still want to emphasize the value of experience over material goods.

Before the start of the pandemic, Kim celebrated her birthday with a party at Harvesters’ distribution warehouse, with guests volunteering at the event. Now, the children have taken mom’s cue and have started asking for canned goods to donate to Harvesters in lieu of gifts at their own birthday parties.

Thank you for giving so generously to help our neighbors get back on their feet — and inspiring a never-ending chain of kindness across our communities! Please help other neighbors get back on their feet by donating here.