You hear us talk on the radio every day, and you probably think we head out the door after our show. That's not the case at all! Our focus is always on the community and how we can help make it better. Sometimes that means having nonprofit organizations on-air with us to get the word out about what they do. Other times, we actually get out of the studio and get to work.

Megan Tuley is one of our newest members of the Townsquare Media Team, and she organized a volunteer day for our entire staff. She chose the Tri-State Food Bank, which is very fitting since it is Hunger Awareness Month.

Well Oiled Machine

I have to say that the folks at the Tri-State Food Bank have a very organized system for everything, including volunteers. The volunteer sign-up is done online, and you can add your shift right into your calendar.

What You Need to Know About Volunteering

First of all, you will need to leave your phone, snacks, and bags in the car. Yes, a group of radio people that live and breathe on social media went without phones for 90 minutes! After you get over that shock, you won't really miss it, because there is plenty of work to be done, and it has to be done a certain way.

Filling Backpacks

It's really sad to think that kids here in our area do not have food to eat at home. They rely on breakfast and lunch at school, but what about the weekend? The Tri-State Food Bank's Weekend Backpack Program provides some much-needed nutrition for these kids. 3,166 children receive these backpacks, so this is a big job for volunteers to assist with.

Melissa Mauser, Traci Davis, Emily Curry, Melissa Clark, Ryan O'Brian, Bobby G.

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This brought me back to my days at Buehler's Buy-Low in Princeton. We moved stock very quickly, and thankfully the items are labeled, in case we got to talking and forgot how many of each item goes into a bag LOL!

1 Chili
1 Beef Lasagna
2 Juice Boxes
2 Individual Milks
2 Fruit cups
2 Fruit Squeeze
Cereal
1 Instant Oatmeal
2 Treats

Melissa Mauser, Traci Davis, Emily Curry, Melissa Clark, Ryan O'Brian, Liberty, Travis Sams

It got a little intense, as you can see on my face. We ended up filling over 200 backpacks during our volunteer shift. She escaped these photos, but LaDonne Craig had the job of putting two plastic bags together, so they don't break. Hannah Birkla was our MVP! She was stacking the bags and keeping them organized as we filled them up. Travis Sams was our box breaker downer (His new title).

Ready to Sign Up?

To reserve spots for a business or community group please contact:
Mardi File, Donor Relations Manager
donorrelations@tristatefoodbank.org
(812) 303-3590

10 Hunger Awareness Facts from The Tri-State Food Bank

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