We’re Incredibly Thankful for Our Volunteers on The Hunger Task Force Farm

Written by Stephen Poquette, Hunger Task Force Farm Volunteer Coordinator

We’re Incredibly Thankful for Our Volunteers on The Hunger Task Force Farm.

We’re incredibly thankful for our volunteers on the Hunger Task Force Farm (The Farm). The Farm relies on nearly 5,000 volunteers each season to be the workforce behind the production of 500,000 pounds of fresh, healthy and culturally diverse produce for people in need in Southeastern Wisconsin and throughout the state of Wisconsin.

As the Farm Volunteer Coordinator, I enjoy seeing the commitment of returning volunteers who, for years, have worked alongside our staff to help us grow healthy foods using sustainable practices on The Farm. It is also very enjoyable to observe new volunteers’ eagerness to donate their time to execute meaningful work at The Farm.

The Farm volunteer experience is unique in that volunteers will assist with a wide variety of tasks. Volunteers help guarantee the success of a crop by weeding one of our many fields. They also help transplant hundreds of plants alongside their co-workers. Come harvest time, volunteers will assist the Farm staff in harvesting anything from apples to zucchinis and washing fresh produce like greens and peppers to make before the healthy food items make their way to the plate of someone in need.

When I arrived at The Farm for my first day, two years ago, I took my first steps onto a vegetable farm that I had never visited before. I was a total fish out of water and had a lot to learn. However, I was inspired by the Hunger Task Force mission and excited to work with the dedicated Farm staff and volunteers to fulfill a vital community need that is bigger than ourselves. What I wasn’t expecting was to form such a strong community made up of thousands of volunteers and dozens of farmers who roll up their sleeves to make Milwaukee a better place to live.

Our volunteers step onto The Farm ready to serve a community in need and to learn a little about farming along the way. While I now hold the role of teaching volunteers how to farm in their time with us, I am reminded of the heart of what we are doing and why we all started doing it.

Without our volunteers, the work needed on The Farm simply would not get done. They are our workforce that allows us to harvest a variety of produce from sweet corn and green beans to peppers and lettuce to improve access to healthy, fresh food for low-income children, families and seniors in Wisconsin.

What cannot be quantified is the impact volunteers see themselves making while they are on The Farm. Smiling faces wiping sweat with their gloves, they are beaming with pride.

If you are interested in volunteering on the Hunger Task Force Farm email me at [email protected].

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.