Nonprofits ask community to consider volunteering for New Year's resolutions

St. Mary's Food Bank is blessed with a good amount of volunteers throughout November and December, said Jerry Brown, the Phoenix-based organization's spokesperson.

"People want to give back during that time, but when January comes, the same amount of people need to be fed, the same amount of people will be in the lines asking for food, and we need the same amount of volunteers to help us get that job done," Jerry Brown, St. Mary's Food Bank spokesman, said.

Brown said St. Mary's Food Bank, along with many other nonprofits across the nation, has not fully returned to the number of single volunteers or companies that would contribute time or donations prior to the pandemic.

Additionally, higher inflation and expenses have affected Arizona families immensely this year as St. Mary's Food Bank has seen an "incredible uptick" in families waiting daily for food boxes, Brown said. They serve around 1,000 families a day.

St. Mary's Food Bank has been providing for the food-insecure Phoenix community for 55 years. The organization is a part of the Arizona Food Bank Network, which received $40,000 in grants from The Arizona Republic's Season for Sharing campaign last year.

The campaign awarded grants to 164 Arizona nonprofits last year to help struggling children and families, to boost education and to aid older adults. Since 1993, Season for Sharing has raised and given away almost $72 million to make Arizona a better place to live for everyone.

Brown said the funds went to buying food this year for their food boxes filled with dietary staples and grocery boxes with vegetables, fruits, and snacks that will provide a 2–3 day supply for food-insecure families.

"We're not getting extra food from the government or from those who have donated in the past," Brown said. "It's forcing us to go out and purchase more food than we ever have before."

Volunteers can do a plentitude of work at St. Mary's Food Bank, such as filling food boxes, distributing those boxes to families or helping with special events.

Volunteer shifts for individuals and big groups are available Tuesday through Saturday with three-hour sessions in the morning or afternoon. To sign up, you can access St. Mary's volunteer portal here at St. Mary's Food Bank (volunteerhub.com).

St. Mary's Food Bank caters to many big groups and needs quick daily help, but other organizations have more long-term or organizational volunteer needs.

'I've always been a believer of volunteering'

Recent retiree Pat Saulina found that she had a lot of time on her hands once she lost her husband and had no other close family in the state.

She found a new way to spend her weekdays volunteering at A New Leaf, a Valley-based nonprofit providing assistance to families, children, and adults facing challenges. With various services such as shelter for domestic violence survivors or the unhoused community, foster care, and financial help, A New Leaf aims to provide individuals with the resources to get past tough times.

"I've always been a believer of volunteering and giving back, and A New Leaf has become my second family," Saulina, a volunteer leader at the donation center entering her second year, said.

A New Leaf was given a $30,000 grant from The Republic's 2022 Season for Sharing campaign, which volunteer program supervisor Raven Yosick said was used to support their domestic violence, sexual violence, and court advocacy hotlines, along with their shelters.

In 2022, A New Leaf provided services that rescued 7,508 people from domestic violence abuse.

A New Leaf integrates volunteers into the team, places them in areas that best utilize their skills and qualifications, and show them how their work impacts the community, Yosick said.

Positions are open for administration, donation center help and shelter help, service, general tasks, special event help, and financial professionals who can help low-income families file their taxes or reassess their finances, Yosick said. Internships are also available for those needing academic credit or experience.

With a Service Enterprise certification and multiple Valley locations, A New Leaf can use virtual or in-person volunteers any day of the week at almost any time. All opportunities can be found in the volunteer section on their website.

"Our volunteers are not here for any recognition of any sort, but the feeling of fulfillment is what really drives them and knowing that they have supported the work that we're doing here," Yosick said. "No nonprofit can do the work that they're doing with just employees ... it is a community effort to support everyone who needs our services."

For those looking to connect with the community and observe the direct impacts of volunteering, a mentorship program may be the answer.

At Future for KIDS, a Valley nonprofit that provides out-of-school programs and camps that focus on academics, athletics, and ethics to improve the lives of youth who face adversity, volunteers can dedicate time weekly to be small-group mentors for the school year.

The mentor program, Discover your Future occurs weekly for two hours with guided curriculum aimed to help at-risk kids explore and learn outside of school and build a healthy relationship with an adult mentor.

"Kids that maybe don't have that caring adult in their life to listen and support them know every Tuesday they get to see their mentor," Executive Director Madonna Bistany said. "The volunteer mentors are key because they are giving their time to be part of sparking that creativity and having those conversations with kids."

Mentoring is a valuable way to connect and build a child's future, so it requires intense dedication. Mentors must commit to two hours a week for 13 or 26 weeks and undergo provided training. Those interested can apply on the mentor opportunities section of Future for KIDS' website.

Outside of mentoring, Future for KIDS can use volunteers for their summer camps and special events. More information can be found in the "get involved" section of their website.

Last year, Future for KIDS was awarded a $7,500 grant from The Republic's 2022 Season for Sharing campaign and Bistany said the funds were integrated into all parts of their mentor program.

"Those funds help us do everything. It allows us to focus on our work with the children, and it propels us forward," Bistany said. "Thank you to all the people that feed into the campaign."

Ways to give

• Fill out the secure, online form at sharing.azcentral.com.

• Text “SHARING” to 91-999 and click on the link in the text message.

• Go online at facebook.com/seasonforsharing and look for the “DONATE HERE” post.

• Clip the coupon on Page 4A of The Arizona Republic, fill it out and mail it to P.O. Box 29250, Phoenix AZ 85038-9250.

• Make a donation when you buy tickets to Las Noches de las Luminarias at Desert Botanical Garden. dbg.org.

Where does the money go?

When you give to Season for Sharing, you are helping nonprofits that support education, feed the hungry and help struggling families and older adults. The Republic pays all administrative costs, so 100% of donations go back to the community.

Reach breaking news reporter Ellie Willard at ellie.willard@gannett.com or on Twitter @EllieWillardAZ.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Consider giving back in 2023 at a Season for Sharing nonprofit