By Dave Woods • Official Kids Mag
T
rina Wilson likes her job. She is the
volunteer coordinator and senior
mobile pantry coordinator for the
Northwest Arkansas Food Bank. She gets
excited working with her kid volunteers.
"That's one of my favorite
parts of the job," she said. "I
love getting to see them interact
with people other than their
parents and siblings. It's nice for
adults to see that they are making
an impact on the people around
them."
When kids who volunteer at
the NWA Food Bank learn a
concerning local statistic, Trina said
they are often surprised.
"In Northwest Arkansas one in four kids
are hungry," she explained. "Overall the
number is one in seven. If you divide the
kids up and say that 'out of you four kids,
one of you will go to bed hungry tonight.'
It makes an impact. Or, ask them how
they would feel if they didn't know where
their next meal was coming from? It really
makes a difference to them. It's pretty cool
to see them react. Some kids come here
and may not have a great attitude about
volunteering, but by the time they leave,
they feel like they have made a difference
and feel better about themselves."
Many of the young volunteers immediately
understand. Others, Trina said, take a little
more explanation.
'A job for
everyone'
NWA Food Bank offers
volunteer opportunities for all ages
MEMBER OF:
NWA
FOOD
BANK
The
Mission:
To
nourish
Northwest
Arkansas
Communities
by
feeding
hungry
people.
The
Vision:
To
be
a
leader
in
hunger
relief
by
building
partnerships
with
hunger
relief
organizations.
NON-PERISHABLE
WISH
LIST
ITEMS
✓
Peanut
butter
✓
Canned
or
dried
meat
✓
Cereal
✓
Canned
goods
✓
Powered
milk
✓
Fruit
and
grain
bars
8 • Off icial Kids Mag • MAY & JUNE 2018
