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Volunteers keep hustling for food pantry
Velia Flores of Chicago started volunteering at the Salvation Army in Norridge about 15 years ago and is part of the Bread of Life crew which sorts donated bread for distribution to the needy. | Ryan Pagelow~Sun-Times Media
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Updated: May 20, 2012 8:05AM
Velia Flores has volunteered at the Salvation Army in Norridge for more than 15 years.
On Wednesdays the Chicago resident is part of the Bread of Life crew that sorts and bags the bread donated by local businesses to give to people in need during the church’s weekly bread distribution, which coincides with its food pantry.
“It’s wonderful,” Flores said. “To me it’s not work, it’s something that needs to be done to benefit someone in need.”
She is one of about 125 volunteers at the church. Together the volunteers work 150 hours each month, said Pamela Church-Pryor, communities ministries director for the Salvation Army.
Some of the tasks volunteers do include bread distribution, pantry duties, donation pickups and office work.
Volunteer Greg Petersen of Norwood Park has volunteered in the food pantry during his lunch hour a couple times a month for the past 10 months.
“I had a friend who worked at the Salvation Army. He would give me stories about things that they did. Some of the stuff I thought was great. I wanted to help out,” he said. “It’s definitely a rewarding experience.”
— Ryan Pagelow
