SAN DIEGO, Calif. -- Feeding America San Diego who has seen a 600 percent increase in food distributions in the last few months, while San Diego County endures its highest unemployment rate in 50 years during 2008.
Twenty sailors from five military installations in San Diego volunteered with the San Diego Armed Services YMCA at the Feeding America San Diego distribution center to bag, box and sort food and supply items for the needy, Oct. 8.
The distribution center receives food from local retail grocers like Ralph’s, Albertsons, Big Lots and Walgreens. The center ships out about 1 million pounds of food every month, and with only 12 employees, the center relies on volunteers to help conquer the mountains of food.
“The military volunteers get a lot done; I think it’s amazing,” said Brandi Love, the volunteer coordinator at Feeding America San Diego. “Thousands of children are getting fed and getting fresh produce because they are coming here to donate their time.”
Laughter and the sounds of ripping cardboard filled the quality control room as the sailors opened boxes and inspected everything from fruit and perishable goods to matzo balls and juice boxes. To one of the sailors, these opportunities to give back are a reflection on his former way of life.
“I grew up in a poor family in the Philippines,” said Chief Petty Officer Dennis Ragasa, from the Naval Consolidated Brig aboard Miramar. “It makes me feel good, as a citizen, to give my time to the community.”
While some sailors sorted, scoured and inspected in the quality control room, others gathered in a dimly-lit area of the warehouse to sift through large boxes of miscellaneous items like Q-Tips, body wash, toys and stuffed animals. Although the sailors had no face-to-face interaction with the recipients of these necessary items, one explained how he imagined the smiles on their faces, and that was enough to keep him going.
“I get personal satisfaction from making a difference in other people’s lives, and helping our less fortunate brothers and sisters,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class James Carbon, from Naval Station San Diego.
By the end of the night, the teamwork and diligence of the sailors turned what was once a stuffed quality control room into a bare room, and the dimly-lit, box-covered area of the warehouse was now a concrete floor, awaiting the next day’s shipment.
Although the YMCA only takes service members to help at the center every two weeks, the amount of work they put in while they are there is vital in helping the center feed the homeless and needy community in San Diego, said Love.
“They definitely go above and beyond what’s asked,” said Love. “I think it’s amazing.”
The Armed Services YMCA welcomes active duty service members and their families from all branches for bi-monthly food bank volunteering, as well as other volunteer opportunities throughout the month. To find out more information or sign up for future volunteer opportunities, visit the ASYMCA Web site at www.militaryymca.com.
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