Volunteer of the Month: Don Driver | May 2024
Each month Hunger Task Force is honored to recognize an individual or organization that goes above and beyond in their service to the organization.
Hunger Task Force relies on the help of more than 16,000 generous volunteers every year. From food sorting and building healthy food boxes for seniors to helping individuals shop the Mobile Market and harvesting at The Farm, volunteers help Hunger Task Force feed people today and support our work in ending future hunger.
Since 2016, Don Driver has dedicated his time to regularly volunteering with Hunger Task Force. A veteran and healthcare professional at Children’s Wisconsin, Don connects his passion for caring for children with his volunteer work. He assists in sorting and managing infant formula, baby food, and supplies provided by Hunger Task Force to local pantries and WIC programs, ensuring that children in need receive essential nutrition support. We are honored to recognize Don as our Volunteer of the Month for May 2024.
Q: When did you start volunteering with Hunger Task Force?
Don: I started volunteering with Hunger Task Force when I returned home after my time in the United States Army in the fall of 2016.
Q: What volunteer activities you help with?
Don: I help sort all the infant formula, baby supplies and baby food donations. I think Jerry [Hunger Task Force Operations Manager] realized that my eyesight was good enough to read the small expiration dates and saw how quickly I could sort donations. He had me stick with it after all these years. Previously, Jerry would give me a list of tasks whenever I came in – like having me break up the ice on the freezer floors or change light bulbs around the warehouse (probably because of my height) – but he must have found someone else for those tasks now!
Q: What’s your favorite part about volunteering?
Don: My favorite part is seeing Hunger Task Force signs and trucks around town and knowing that I am personally helping the organization make a big difference for those in need locally!
Q: How did you get involved?
Don: I wanted to help a local organization fight a problem that can affect anyone in the area, and Hunger Task Force fit the bill. I appreciate that the organization provides food for free and provides healthy, unexpired products (both donated and purchased.) My first volunteer activity was in 2016 helping move food drive bins and signage from location to location as drives rotated around town. The materials showed how important it is to donate unexpired items – it’s a sign of respect to families receiving the food, and recipients deserve to have fresh, name-brand food.
Q: Why do you continue to pick Hunger Task Force?
Don: While I may not be volunteering as regularly as I wish I could, I appreciate how easy it is to volunteer. I pick up shifts when I’m available, even with my busy schedule, and it’s so simple and easy to pop in for an hour or two every so often!
Q: What’s been your most memorable experience volunteering?
Don: There have been a lot of cool things I’ve done and learned while volunteering, so I can’t narrow it down to just one moment. But recently, being able to rope my dad in to help sort infant formula has been an awesome experience to share with him. I am very proud of the work we have been able to accomplish since the organization’s move to the new warehouse!
Q: What would you tell someone who is thinking about volunteering at Hunger Task Force?
Don: There are countless opportunities to volunteer with Hunger Task Force, even if it is only a one-time event/outing or something more regularly scheduled. Everyone in the organization I have met has been awesome to work with and very appreciative which is why I love volunteering for Hunger Task Force!
For more information on how you can get involved, visit: www.HungerTaskForce.org/volunteer
Hunger Task Force is Milwaukee’s Free & Local food bank and Wisconsin’s anti-hunger leader. The organization’s core values are Dignity, Justice, Equity, Compassion and Stewardship. Hunger Task Force feeds people today by providing healthy and culturally appropriate food to hungry children, families and seniors in the community absolutely free of charge. Hunger Task Force also works to end future hunger by advocating for strong public policies and nutrition programs at the local, state and federal level.