Feeding America

Volunteer Spotlight: Doug

Compassion in Action

Doug is a dedicated volunteer who has been sharing his time and energy with the Food Bank of Lincoln for the past four years. Doug’s journey is a wonderful testament to how one individual can create a ripple effect of positive change throughout their community, impacting countless lives, even those he’s never had the chance to meet.

Background

Doug’s professional career as a certified professional accountant (CPA) and interim chief financial officer (CFO) in the healthcare and finance sectors has taken him to Norfolk and Hebron in Nebraska, and outside the Cornhusker state to Iowa and Missouri. Doug and his wife are proud parents to six children and doting grandparents to 10 grandchildren.

Discovering the Food Bank

Doug first connected with the Food Bank of Lincoln after being a long-time donor. An open house invitation from Chief Relationship Officer John Mabry sparked his interest. During a tour with his grandson, Hunter, Doug realized that volunteering at the Food Bank could also be a meaningful way to spend time once he retired.

Motivation to Volunteer

Doug’s motivation to volunteer comes from a deep desire to help others, a trait instilled in him by his parents. He has always been actively involved in various activities and finds it hard to say no when it comes to lending a hand. Doug is particularly moved by the issue of food insecurity, noting how much it has risen over the years. He finds immense joy in seeing the smiles on children’s faces and helping to ensure that our neighbors have enough food.

Doug’s choice to volunteer at the Food Bank is quite personal as he remembers the struggles of his college days and empathizes with people facing hard times or other challenges/uncertainties that life can bring. He believes in the Food Bank’s values and mission of alleviating hunger. Doug genuinely values the camaraderie among volunteers and the relationships he’s built through the work. He fondly recalls a time he and his wife were delivering food and got to know more about a family that had recently moved from Boston—a place where one of his sons spent some time. From packing and sorting to helping at mobile distributions, Lincoln Fresh stops and even delivering meals, Doug appreciates the diverse activities that he and his fellow volunteers get to engage in and looks forward to hearing the updates and stories from them.

Volunteering has brought Doug so much joy. He loves meeting new people and reconnecting with old coworkers and acquaintances he runs into through sharing his time. His wife humorously notes that he “spends more time at the food bank than at home.” Doug has been incredibly active, sometimes even volunteering up to six days a week!

Doug encourages others to volunteer, emphasizing the sense of belonging and accomplishment that often comes with helping others.

Growth of the Food Bank

Doug has witnessed the Food Bank’s growth over the years, from constructing a new facility and switching buildings to ultimately expanding in size and need. Doug hopes his efforts have helped his neighbors through tough times and inspired them in some way to pay it forward. Doug envisions the Food Bank’s continued growth with more people donating and supporting the various programs that help continue to address the need for accessible, nutritious food.

Fun Facts/ Hobbies and Interests

Doug is great with numbers (as you can probably now tell from his time spent in finance), earning the nickname “human calculator” from his wife. His quick mental math skills are impressive and well-known among his peers, which has certainly helped him excel in his past roles.

Outside of volunteering, Doug enjoys golfing and recently joined a country club, a tradition he has carried on from his parents. He notes that he also “loves cooking and eating,” often sharing recipes and restaurant recommendations with some of his fellow volunteers. Doug also enjoys walking (when it is nice outside) and traveling with his wife.

He also takes great pleasure in cooking. Some of his favorite dishes to create are mile-high pumpkin mousse pie, tomato basil parmesan soup and black bottom pie—a chocolate-based treat with custard and topped with whipped cream.

Thank You

Doug’s enthusiasm and passion for giving back are an inspiring example of the difference one person can make in the lives of others.  Kudos to Doug (and all our wonderful volunteers) for all of the support, energy, effort and commitment to the Food Bank of Lincoln and our neighbors!

BackPack Program: Fueling Futures

As the final school bell of the week rang, Elijah would head to the basement level of Randolph Elementary School. There he’d be greeted by a row of food-filled backpacks, nestled between the computer lab and music room. Elijah would grab one and head home, eager to see what was inside.

Most weeks he’d go straight to his bedroom to explore the contents of this “goody bag,” searching for the “prize picks” like granola bars, snack items and his favorite—cereal. Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cheerios and Froot Loops, to be exact (because you can enjoy them dry).

Items like pasta were less familiar to the 7-year-old, who would give the dry noodles and other remaining foods to his mom. She’d know how to cook them.

And she did.

“She’d end up making spaghetti by the end of the week, but at the time, I wasn’t putting two-and-two together that she was using the BackPack noodles for that,” Elijah recalls.

Even at a young age, Elijah understood that the BackPack Program’s impact extended beyond his own dinner table.

“I had friends in elementary school who also got backpacks, but one in particular comes to mind. My friend, his dad and his older sister lived in their car for a long time, and the backpacks were something they used to survive,” he explained. “My mom and I started having conversations and realized how many other people in Lincoln were without food or in vulnerable spots. That was eye-opening to me.”

This awareness stayed with Elijah as he transitioned to Lefler Middle School and later to Lincoln High School—where he moved from the BackPack Program to the School Food Market model. Through a monthly distribution in the school, students, their families and staff shop the market, selecting food items they want. Elijah’s strategy was to take a little bit of everything (though his favorites now were bread, pastries and snack items), knowing that even if it wasn’t something he wanted, it would be helpful to his family.

Unlike elementary school, Elijah noticed that his fellow high schoolers didn’t wait until they got home to take inventory.

“I think of everyone outside of the school after the Food Market, going through their bags—looking for whatever they wanted to eat. Some people would trade to get different items.”

Elijah always dreamt of joining the NFL, but those hopes were sidelined because of injuries during his time on the Links football team. Fortunately, his interests and hobbies were diverse. He was involved in YMCA sports, karate, a theater production where he played Prince Charming, the African American Caucus and Young Men’s Business Leadership groups. He also held part-time jobs.

Yet it was his core passion for the outdoors that inspired his next move: launching a YouTube channel in 2019 called Big Gumdrop Outdoors that documented his hunting and fishing experiences.

“I saw a lack of representation for minorities in the outdoor space. In everything I was watching, people looked the same. I wanted to let other kids that came from similar backgrounds as me to feel confident and comfortable to go outdoors or wherever their heart may want them to go.”

Four years later, during a study abroad trip, Elijah was challenged to use his YouTube exposure for greater impact.

This fall, Elijah will begin his final year at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. While finishing his degrees in agriculture and environmental sciences communications (major) and entrepreneurship (minor), the 21-year-old founder and executive director will strive to grow Big Gumdrop Outdoors. What began as a YouTube channel has evolved into one of Lincoln’s newest nonprofit organizations dedicated to educating urban youth about nature and inspiring them to explore the great outdoors.

By offering summer camps, community events and after-school programs for Lincoln’s youth, Big Gumdrop Outdoors is committed to giving kids experiential learning opportunities outdoors. His students build campfires and tents, fish, practice conservation storytelling, learn plant identification, ecosystems, and more.

As the BackPack Program celebrates 20 years of serving students this fall, Elijah and his team will also be dedicated to helping kids. Through programs at six schools, this new nonprofit will be equipping the next generation of learners with fuel for the future

“I think having that consistency (of Child Hunger Programs) helped my mom and my family because we knew there was going to be food,” he reflects, 14 years later. “It added a layer of security that I was unaware of at the time but ended up affecting me.”

Finding Community

Jasmine was browsing a housing brochure when a note about an upcoming Getting Ahead in a Just-Gettin’-By World workshop caught her eye.

“I’ve always wanted to know how to get out of poverty, or how I could help someone get out of poverty if I ever get out of poverty,” she explained.

It’s why she serves on her church’s Benevolence Team and has plans to pursue a degree in biblical theology to become a church counselor.

It’s also why signing up for the workshop seemed like a natural fit.

Her initial expectations were modest, thinking it would be a class with lots of homework. Instead, the 10-week experience delivered a comforting environment, a supportive network and lasting connections.

“I got to meet a lot of people I probably would not have met before. We’re supposed to be having coffee every month now,” she said, excited about maintaining these friendships now that the workshop has ended.

It’s difficult when your income goes entirely to rent and bills, Jasmine explains. Yet, kitchen table-style discussions about topics like language choices and budgeting were memorable to her. Above all, she won’t forget how this experience made her feel.

“One of the speakers was so attentive and caring. I’ll always remember that about her.”

Born and raised in Lincoln, Jasmine hasn’t left Nebraska before—but that may change soon. With her eye on a school in Colorado and a determination to help others, she may be trading cornfields for mountain views.

Until then, this dog owner, music lover and gardener-in-training plans to remain active in her church’s gospel community, volunteering her time, taking free online courses, and helping others learn about Getting Ahead.

“I really liked it, and I like telling people about it.”

 

Part of the Food Bank of Lincoln’s Bridges Out of Poverty initiative, Getting Ahead In A Just-Gettin’-By World is a kitchen table-style learning experience for neighbors who are living in or near poverty. Attendees explore how poverty affects their lives through the lens of socioeconomic class and co-investigate with others to plan their future stories and build a life of opportunity. Learn more here.

 

More Month than Money

Breakfast is often considered the most important meal of the day, but for James, it’s not just a belief—it’s a key part of his medicinal routine. To help manage his diabetes, he starts his morning with medication, which includes prescriptions that must be taken with food.

“I have to eat breakfast,” he explains. “I can’t skip it.”

This is why James said he enjoys receiving breakfast staple items from food distributions. Eggs, butter and milk.

“I can’t eat a bunch of different things, but my doctor told me I can have all the eggs I want.”

James attends food distributions every couple of months—during those times when there’s more month than money. With rising expenses, his benefits don’t stretch as far as they used to, he explains. So, when nutritious breakfast items are on the distribution menu, he’s especially grateful.

‘Doing What We Can’

“As inflation keeps going up, my income gets smaller,” explains Shirley who relies on Social Security. “I’m afraid prices are only going to get higher, and that’s sad because our social security doesn’t go up that much to warrant all of the increases. It’s hard. We all have to do what we can to make it work.

“I see a lot of older people like me at the grocery store who put things back because they can’t afford it and it breaks my heart. We’re all in that boat. We can’t just shop like we want to anymore.”

To help make ends meet, Shirley attends food distributions. She also lives with her son—and predicts more families will begin moving in together. Housing costs are “out of sight,” she notes, sharing that her rent recently increased $200 a month—a steep jump for her and her son’s fixed incomes.

“It’s very complicated to survive. I have to rely on food distributions like everyone else, here [at a mobile food distribution]. I’m very grateful for the Food Bank because they really help out.”

Feeding 44 Serves Nemaha County

Each month, vehicles weave through a parking lot on the Peru State College campus as volunteers place a mixture of nourishing items into their neighbors’ trunks.

In collaboration with the Food Bank of Lincoln, the college hosts this monthly mobile food distribution known as Feeding 44—an initiative celebrating its 10th anniversary this year.

“The Food Bank made it easy for us to get started with well-oiled systems and processes, and the college is always committed to providing engaging opportunities for students to get involved,” said Rachel Schwindt, the Peru State College student (now alumnus) who helped establish Feeding 44 after learning about food insecurity in her community. “That combination has led to a partnership that can stand the test of time.”

Aptly named for its service to county 44, this collaboration aims to alleviate hunger in Nemaha County, where an estimated 12.1 percent of neighbors are food insecure.

The program wouldn’t have started without the support of Catholic Social Services and former Peru State College President Dan Hanson and his wife, Elaine (both recently retired). Elaine was also a key supporter of the Auburn BackPack Program. And like Schwindt, Bobcat graduates Je’Kerra Hopper and Bailey Bindle were stars in directing the program during their time as students, with Bindle even adding medical screening to Feeding 44 events.

“This distribution has been something they [neighbors] can count on and rely on to have food to put on the table,” said Dana Stovall, career services specialist at Peru State College and Feeding 44’s program coordinator. “Food is shared with family and friends who are going through a difficult time. It’s been a blessing for this community.”

Dana ensures Feeding 44 is ready to serve each month by coordinating campus organizations and staff members to help distribute food. One month it was the baseball team. The next, the bowling team. Volleyball. And so on. The Peru State College security team manages the traffic flow. Together, these groups help connect an average of 200 families to meals each month.

“Feeding 44 and the Food Bank have had a tremendous impact on Nemaha County, including our students,” said Dr. Timothy Borchers, vice president of academic affairs at Peru State College. “We have a lot of students who come from financially challenging conditions. Having Feeding 44 as a consistent supply of food each month has been significant for our students.”

Seniors Grateful for the Boost

Like many seniors in Southeast Nebraska, Tina and her husband, a veteran, live on a fixed-income. After paying rent and utilities each month, there isn’t much left in their budget to pay for food.

“Sometimes after we pay our bills, we don’t have enough for a gallon of milk,” Tina explains.

And this Lincoln couple is not alone. Nearly 5.3 million seniors are facing hunger in the United States, according to Feeding America—regularly having to choose between necessities.

So every Monday, Tina and her husband attend a food distribution. The groceries received, along with the shelf-stable items they get through the *Commodity Supplemental Food Program (CSFP), are often enough to get this family of two by without having to make an extra trip to the store.

“I appreciate it so very very very much,” Tina says. “I don’t know what we’d do without help.”

The amount saved on food provides some cushion in her otherwise firm budget, allowing them to pay bills, chip away at an unexpected $500 repair for her family’s only vehicle and even “splurge” on a birthday gift for the grandkids.

While the food has made it a bit easier to afford other expenses, Tina said she is most grateful for the food itself.

“Hunger is a bad thing. That’s the worst feeling I think you could have—going to bed hungry. Any little bit helps; it’s more than you had before. I appreciate everybody that gives to the Food Bank.”

*CSFP is a federal food program for seniors 60 and over. To learn more, click here.

‘Stuck in the Middle’

For 10 years, Michelle was a full-time stay-at-home mom, raising her two boys, now 10 and 16. Before that, she was a science teacher.

Now, Michelle works two jobs to provide for her family, while simultaneously navigating the stresses of COVID-19 and life as a single parent.

The rising cost of groceries, paired with the price of necessary medication and the expense of raising two growing kids, has tightened the budget for Michelle’s family. Like many in Southeast Nebraska, Michelle’s income from her two jobs is just too much to be eligible for assistance, but not enough to routinely afford healthy food.

“There are a lot of families like mine that are stuck in the middle where things get really tight really quickly,” Michelle said. “There are a lot of people struggling to pay the basics. I don’t think a lot of people are aware of that.”

So, Michelle searched for ways to stretch her family’s wallet, to “help us stay in our home and keep things paid.” Once a month, on her way home from work, she attends a Tuesday evening distribution.

“I am able to get the more nutritious and less processed food for my family. I am able to do more meal planning and those types of things that keep my budget where it needs to be so I’m not struggling,” she explains.

Foods that can be frozen typically head to the freezer and become an important part of her meal planning process. Perishable items are enjoyed by her family or shared with neighbors in need. All the food has made it a little easier to pay bills.

“It’s not easy to ask for help or receive help. I’m a fairly independent person, so me getting to the point where I needed some help was hard to do and I wanted to let you know I’m very thankful.”

Feeding a Family of Five

Mary Jo’s three daughters have a plan.

Her oldest, Hannah, wants to be a nurse. Rachael and Sarah aspire to join the FBI.

Hannah graduated high school two years ago and has been working to save for college ever since. Rachael, a sophomore, works part-time while going to school and participating on the cheerleading squad. Sarah, who is just 12, is focused on finishing her sixth grade year.

Mary Jo has educational aspirations, too. She already has a bachelor’s degree in child development, but dreams of returning to school to obtain an additional degree in nutrition. For right now, she is a full-time caretaker for her 86-year-old mother who has dementia.

Mary Jo’s mother, a former missionary in Japan, enjoys cuddling with the dogs and helps maintain the household by doing dishes.

Things haven’t been easy since a family dispute drained their bank accounts and depleted college funds a few years ago. But these five women have a system. They budget each month. They look for sales and use coupons when they can. They eat food the girls bring home from the restaurants where they work. They “get through,” Mary Jo says.

“We’re behind on bills and all kinds of stuff,” she says. “I utilize what I can.”

Last summer, Hannah stumbled across the Food Bank on the Internet. They have been attending food distributions ever since. The food has provided important nutrition and been an invaluable part of their system.

“I like the Food Bank provides as much as it can toward proper nutrition,” Mary Jo says. “We as a society eat so much junk and we don’t get junk in the boxes; it’s wholesome and healthy.”

There aren’t many foods Mary Jo’s family doesn’t like. They’ve enjoyed receiving meats, cheddar cheese, eggs and non-perishable items, to name a few. But there were two items—and two distributions—Mary Jo remembers most fondly. The first, a time when she uncovered oatmeal in the box; it’s one of her favorites. The other, a time the family received four bags of apples. “I love the apples. My girls love apples,” she said. To ensure nothing went to waste, she made homemade applesauce in the crockpot to keep for later.

Mary Jo is grateful for the positive experiences she’s had at food distributions, praising the professional staff and respectful clients, and expressing appreciation for the donors who have helped her family get the food they need.

“Thank you so much. If it hadn’t been for you [donors], we wouldn’t be here—we literally would have not made it. I’m so grateful it’s there. If we didn’t have that [Food Bank] we wouldn’t survive.”

Healthier Eating

Just $16 stand in the way of Chris and her family being eligible for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.

“We are literally just a few dollars over the income limit,” she says.

Feeding her family of four during the pandemic has been challenging. Side jobs that typically bring in extra income are harder to come by in this economy. She and her husband have made sacrifices for the two children they care for. “The kids were the only ones that would be able to drink milk because we couldn’t afford to buy for everybody,” she explains.

They have a garden, but it isn’t enough.

So when the Food Bank started distributing food in her rural community, it “was a blessing” that has not only helped feed her family, but has provided them with nutritious foods she couldn’t otherwise afford.

“The kids aren’t hungry,” she says. “They go get an apple or orange or a handful of blueberries instead of eating bread and butter with sugar on it. This is healthier eating for us. It has made a huge difference.”

After attending her first distribution, Chris was surprised by the quality and freshness of the foods she received, describing the assortment of goods as “a mini Christmas dinner.” The variety of dairy, produce and meat has enabled her family to eat balanced meals—something that is especially important for her husband, who is diabetic. And while she is and would have been grateful for any food she was given, the fresh produce has been her favorite.

“The kids get so excited over the fresh fruit and it’s neat. It isn’t just a little bit; it’s enough for the whole family.”

When the pandemic arrived in mid-March, the Food Bank shifted to a drive-thru model for food distributions. This method has helped Chris feel safe getting the food she needs to feed her family. “There’s no fear of going. You don’t feel like you’re going to be taking a chance because they take care of it; it’s no-contact.”

Chris is appreciative and humbled by it all—the way the food has helped her family and her small community—expressing “a giant thank you” to those who help make food distributions possible.

“Keep getting to the small towns. The families I talk to that are going wouldn’t have bought the food on their own; they can’t afford it. It’s the extra nutrients they normally bypass for something cheaper,” she said. “We are seeing more elderly rural people coming to these [distributions]. There are people around here going through different cancer treatments and this has been life changing for them, too. Everybody is grateful.”

Adjusting to a Pandemic Reality

Rock bottom.

Two words that describe a place Troy never thought he’d be.

Troy and his wife both had good jobs. They own an entertainment business on the side that provides supplemental income. It’s their backup plan. But when the COVID-19 pandemic led to layoffs for both Troy and his wife, and the backup plan was disrupted by restrictions on gatherings, rock bottom is where he found himself.

“When you have two kids, you burn through your savings fast,” Troy, an engineer, said. “We have a 9-year-old and 1-year-old who need to keep eating no matter what. So we hit rock bottom within a half of a year. It got to the point of choosing between paying rent and buying food.”

Troy first learned about the Food Bank eight years ago. A friend found himself in a similar situation and visited the Food Bank for support. “They don’t ask for anything. You just go through and they give you food to live on for the week,” Troy recalls his friend saying. This same friend encouraged Troy to attend a distribution.

“I never wanted to accept help,” Troy said. “I hit rock bottom and that’s what it took for me. We had nothing. We didn’t have a choice. We had to go to the Food Bank.”

And so he did.

Troy attended a drive-thru distribution. He joined the line and opened his trunk; it’s what he saw others doing. “They filled us with groceries. It was a prayer answered,” he said. “And they told me ‘that’s what we’re here for. Don’t you dare be embarrassed.’”

The money saved on groceries that week paid the month’s electric and cell phone bills – two expenses Troy explains, you “just can’t get around. How are you going to look for work without a phone?”

That same day, a person unknown to Troy also handed him $55. Noting the desire to “do a good deed,” the person challenged Troy to do something nice for his family or for someone else. Troy filled up his gas tank, happy he could get his kids around town, and used the remainder to pay for a stranger’s gas. That stranger was a single mother, he learned, who was also struggling as she was going through school.

A few weeks after attending distributions, Troy started a new job and his wife returned to work. While Troy looked forward to the return of a steady income, he noted his perspective has been affected by this experience.

“You have genuinely changed someone like me. I got to see the other side of the coin. There is more of a need to help people than we realize. Sometimes we get in our routine, focused on ourselves and our families, that we forget about our neighbors across the street counting pennies to make ends meet.”

LPS Student Gives Back

When Sawyer Zeece was looking for a hobby in the summer of 2019, she knew she wanted to work with kids and do something meaningful.

“If I could do something that would have an impact on someone’s life, I knew it would be more worth my time,” Sawyer said.

So when she found a volunteering opportunity at the Lincoln Children’s Museum, it was a natural fit. She got to help at the museum’s summer camps and other events. She also had the chance to mentor a 6-year-old boy with autism.

This dedicated service earned Sawyer the 2020 Prudential Spirit of Community Award, an honor given to one middle and one high school student in each state for their exceptional volunteering efforts. In addition to the award, each honoree was given $2,500 to donate to the local organization of their choice.

Sawyer generously chose to donate her prize to the Food Bank of Lincoln.

“I knew (the Food Bank) was a local organization that has done a lot of good for the community and helps a lot of families in need,” Sawyer said. “I knew my money would be put to good use and would help a lot of hungry families.”

Sawyer, now a freshman at Lincoln East, was an eighth grade student at Lux Middle School when she received the award. She looks forward to the day the pandemic is over so she can resume her volunteer work with the Lincoln Children’s Museum and other organizations in the community.

Until then, she encourages everyone to consider ways they can give back.

“I would advise you to see what’s out there and explore the options,” Sawyer said. “You can really make a difference in someone’s life and your own life, too, if you choose to get out there and help people.”

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