Finance Worker by Day
Andie Ferreira has become quite the seasoned Tarrant Area Food Bank volunteer over the last year and a half. “I’m called to serve,” said Andi, a finance worker by day and hunger-fighting hero in her free time.
Andi feels there is plenty of food in the world to go around. Therefore, no one should have to go hungry. Andi chooses to volunteer with TAFB because her passion for service involves making sure everyone has enough food to eat. “In my community, I’m going to help my neighbor,” said Andi. “I’m blessed to have the resources that I do and the health that I have and I want to give back to others.”
In the time Andi has volunteered with TAFB, she has helped in our Quality Control room sorting, inspecting and boxing nutritious food. She’s assembled prepared meals for distribution to our Partner Agencies in the Community Kitchen. She has pulled weeds and planted seeds in the TAFB Learning Garden. She has also volunteered as course assistant in the Cooking Matters program where she purchased groceries before each class, prepared food for demonstrations and assisted the chef.
Cooking Does Matter
Cooking Matters holds a special place in Andi’s heart, since it’s her favorite volunteer opportunity. Eating healthy is important to Andi. She loves that Cooking Matters teaches participants how to eat healthy on a budget. Cooking Matters doesn’t just say that families can eat healthier, it guides them step by step on how to do it. From making smarter choices in the grocery store to meal prep. The cooking demonstrations take 30 minutes or less.
Feedback Andi has heard from Cooking Matters participants is that they are truly grateful for the program. Participants tend to be surprised by how easy the course is and that healthy food can taste good.
Feel-Good Story
“Volunteering makes me feel good,” said Andi. To know that she helped make sure no one will go hungry or that she helped someone understand eating healthy is easy is what volunteering is all about.
Food means joy to Andi. She loves to cook and loves to eat. Whether she’s trying an amazing dish that she hasn’t tried before or she’s feeding her family and friends, it brings her joy. And she simply wants to share that feeling.
Visit our Volunteer page for descriptions of the volunteer opportunities we offer. As we close out Volunteer Appreciation Month, we want to say thank you one more time to everyone who has stood on the front lines of hunger to make sure families and individuals didn’t go without food. Thank you.
By Becky Volk
Social Media Specialist, Tarrant Area Food Bank
