Did you know April is Volunteer Appreciation Month? At Second Harvest, we could not be more grateful for our volunteers, who contributed a total of 30,942 volunteer hours in this past fiscal year — the equivalent of nearly 15 additional full-time employees! Plus, in our current fiscal year, our volunteers have already packed enough food to create ONE MILLION MEALS.
This April, we’d like to recognize Lisa Burkett, one of our regular warehouse volunteers, as our 2025 Volunteer of the Year.
Volunteering at the Warehouse
For the past five years, Lisa has provided dedicated work to Second Harvest in the place we need it most: our warehouse. She enjoys the independence of sorting and packing donated goods during her 3 hour shifts once or twice a week, providing thousands of meals to our neighbors over time. According to our Volunteer Coordinator, Aaron, “Lisa is always positive, brings a strong work ethic, collaborates to improve volunteer efficiency, and is a reliable, kind, and a bright presence on every shift.”
Continue reading as we share more from Lisa about her involvement with Second Harvest, gathered by interview.
Why Second Harvest?
“I moved back to this area almost five years ago. I wasn’t [a] regular then, but I started occasionally volunteering, because I was like ‘I want to find something meaningful… a food bank? That sounds good!’”
“I grew up really poor, and we didn’t go hungry, but I knew families that did in my neighborhood, so it means a lot to me. Food insecurity is a big deal, and I think people just don’t understand.”
Why volunteer?
“I started volunteering when I was a kid. I got involved in a program in middle school where I did volunteer work, and it just always made me feel good, that I could help others.”
“I have a son who’s about to turn 22. When he was little, we did Cub Scouts. One of the big scout things every year is Scouting for Food, which gets food collected for a big food bank, so I’ve just always wanted to volunteer, it’s just a service mentality I developed.”
“Now I’m retired, so I have time, and I want to give back.”
What’s the volunteer culture like at Second Harvest?
“I enjoy [volunteering] here because I feel valued. I started volunteering here more because I always felt welcomed and valued here… I was appreciated. I’ve gotten to know a few of the staff members, and it just always feels nice, like it’s impactful what I’m doing, and it’s also appreciated, and that’s nice.”
Our Volunteer Coordinator, Aaron, also said that Lisa “actively supports initiatives like hurricane relief food drives,” specifically our drive following Hurricane Helene.
Why Help After Helene?
“I like helping with special events sometimes, and that was just such a devastating thing… I just wanted to play some part in that to help and give back. Helping Second Harvest fill trucks was good.”
How else is Lisa involved with Second Harvest?
Our 2025 Volunteer of the Year has also been involved in Volley for Hope, our annual pickleball charity tournament! An active pickleball player (for 4 ½ years) and teacher herself, she understands the power of community building that stems from the event — and the importance of combatting the lull of support many food banks face over the warmer spring and summer months.
Lisa believes this support is even more important this year, in light of recent news about federal funding cuts to the USDA. “I know that funds are being cut, and I know that’s going to create a greater need,” she said.
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