I retired in 2013 after 40 years as a parish pastor. A part of my retirement discipline was to not “do” church. When we moved to Oak Park, we became back-pew sitters at First United Church. But I broke the discipline and led two ministry teams, one after the other.
After finishing those involvements, and with the advent of COVID, I took up reading like never before. When the crisis eased, I began to feel depressed and told my wife what I was experiencing. She said simply and directly, “Choose an organization and volunteer in whatever way you can.”
I contacted Beyond Hunger because I knew its primary location was and is at First United. I was welcomed and started as a valet, helping to load the cars of clients who choose the drive-thru option. Then when a staff member learned I was a volunteer firefighter in New Jersey, and had some traffic management training, she suggested I manage the parking and release of clients to drive to the valet station to get their food.
As lord of the lot, as some folks call me, I get to greet and welcome people when they pull into the lot. It’s a meaningful time for me as I try my best to put a smile on clients’ faces and threaten to give them a ticket if they pull straight in rather than back into a parking spot. Over the nearly two years I’ve done that job, folks have learned my name and now say things like, “Where were you the last time I was here?” and “You know I have a hard time backing up. Can I pull straight in?”
As much as working with clients, I really enjoy the volunteers who register and check folks in before they get their food. It’s like we’ve developed our own little community. Sometimes we talk politics and sometimes we share personal things that evoke laughter and even much-needed words of encouragement and support. I have also gotten to know many of the volunteers that work inside, packing food and sending out the generous amount of food that is given to clients.
In addition to volunteers, I’ve gotten to know the members of the staff who work so well with each other and the many volunteers. They are wonderfully committed to serve.
But underneath the commitment of both volunteers and staff is a deep and abiding desire to serve the undernourished, in large part spurred by the lack of concern shown by the current national administration. Continued budget-slashing will undoubtedly cause even more need for organizations like Beyond Hunger.
I’ve long believed that little things mean a lot but, believe me, it’s no little thing to volunteer to serve the underserved. I encourage you to climb on board. You will be welcomed as I was. There are many ways to get involved. Go to “gobeyondhunger.org” and sign up today. You won’t be sorry.
Charles Morris is a resident of Oak Park.
