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At Second Harvest, our volunteers provide vital support for our mission and inspire us each day with their dedication to creating a better community for all. Let’s meet some of the remarkable individuals who contribute their time and enrich our organization with their diverse backgrounds and experiences.
Blair Scott, a freelance writer based in Brampton, has been volunteering at Second Harvest since August 2023. She began her journey in a food sort, where the strong sense of community inspired her to take on more responsibilities.
In her role as an individual giving admin assistant, Blair writes thank-you cards to donors, participates in calling campaigns like Donor Love and Thank-A-Thon and assists the philanthropy team with various projects. Blair’s responsibilities also include writing scripts for calls and updating donor contact information. She spends about three hours a week at the Second Harvest’s office and occasionally dedicates up to ten hours during special campaigns and events.
“I just think people who can volunteer should. I think as a society, it’s really important for us to donate our time and consider that to be a normal part of living — helping where you can, if you can, when you can,” Blair said.
Her most memorable experience at Second Harvest was participating in the Feeding Our Future program last year. Despite being short-handed, her team managed to pull through so more than 730 sandwiches could be delivered on time to kids attending summer camps across Toronto.
Blair’s volunteering journey has also been a professional development opportunity. The connections she’s made at Second Harvest and their advice and encouragement have helped shape her career path in fundraising and philanthropy. She’s learned to use the Raiser’s Edge database and is pursuing a fundraising certificate at George Brown College.
Blair’s advice to other volunteers is to maintain their enthusiasm and believe in the impact of their work, no matter how small the task may seem.
Shreya Banerjee’s connection with Second Harvest began serendipitously at an event, where she was captivated by a speech by our CEO, Lori Nikkel. Lori’s leadership and commitment to food rescue deeply resonated with Shreya, leading her to do more research about Second Harvest and eventually signing up to be a volunteer.
“Wasting food was not an option in our household,” Shreya said, adding that combating food insecurity is also a cause close to her heart.
In May, Shreya embarked on her volunteer journey, starting with a community food sort. Her natural ability to lead, organizational skill and her attention to detail quickly earned her a recommendation for a food sort lead position, a role she now thoroughly enjoys.
As a lead, Shreya’s responsibilities include checking in volunteers, assisting with training sessions and overseeing the sorting process. Her meticulous approach ensures a smooth operation, whether it’s packing produce or sorting cans. Shreya’s leadership skills shine through as she adeptly manages teams, ensuring tasks are completed efficiently while maintaining high morale among volunteers.
Shreya’s most memorable experiences was assisting in the Spiniko’s interactive game station at the 2024 Truck Pull Challenge. Drawing on her background in learning design and corporate training, she reconfigured the game setup to significantly increase foot traffic and engagement.
“I was able to make that little difference, so that made me really happy,” she said.
Volunteering with Second Harvest has been a fulfilling experience for Shreya. It has not only allowed her to stay connected with her professional skills but also reinforced her personal values of minimizing food waste and helping those in need.
Highschoolers Colin Sbert and Jacob Dychiao are two close friends who found a rewarding way to spend their summer: volunteering at Second Harvest. Since July, they’ve spent about six hours a week in community food sorts and Feeding Our Future’s sandwich-making shifts.
From the outset, both were impressed by the welcoming and friendly environment at Second Harvest.
Colin said: “It’s probably my favorite place I’ve volunteered so far. The people are nice here too.” Jacob echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the positive energy and supportive atmosphere that made volunteering enjoyable.
One of the most impactful aspects of their experience was the opportunity to connect with others. Both Jacob and Colin found it easy to make friends at Second Harvest. The inclusive environment encouraged them to socialize with people of all ages, improving their communication skills and reducing any initial shyness they had. They also enjoyed sharing conversations with other volunteers and gaining insights from their life stories and career choices. The camaraderie was a highlight as well. The duo has made tasks more fun by turning them into a game and invited others to join for a little friendly competition.
Learning about the magnitude of food insecurity and food waste in Canada has deepened their appreciation for the impact of what they do.
“By spreading mayonnaise on a sandwich or making sure a carrot doesn’t go to waste, I’m just helping somebody in such a small way,” Jacob said. “That’s meaningful to me personally.”
If you’re inspired by the stories of Blair, Shreya Colin, and Jacob, we invite you to join our community of dedicated volunteers. Together, we’ll keep food where it belongs: on plates and out of landfills.
Learn more about volunteer opportunities here.
