Larchmont/Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force
For the past six years, I have been volunteering at my town's local food pantry, the Larchmont-Mamaroneck Hunger Task Force (LMHTF). I volunteer there every month on Saturdays. Each month, we are able to reach and give food to about 500 families. About two years ago, I wanted to get more involved in the organization. So, I interviewed the president of the food pantry, Malcolm Frouman. I asked about his responsibilities as a community stakeholder and inquired about how the LMHTF has grown since its founding in 1993. Since then I have formed a relationship with Mr. Frouman by incorporating some of what he and the LMHTF has done into my OCRA project. Other members on the leadership board for the LMHTF, Sarah Coady and Lisa Chase, have become mentors for my OCRA passian project as well.
Grassroots Grocery
Every Saturday for the Grassroots Grocery organization, I head down to the Bronx, NY, to help distribute over 10,000 pounds of produce to more that 1,100 families. I have been doing this since my freshman year in high school and have been going to these "Produce Parties" as often as a can. Recently, in order to contribute more of myself to help this organization, I have become a student ambassador. As a student ambassador, I help create produce events around the holidays when families need it the most. These events can last for days and can help hundreds of families. I have also began to stay in contact with the CEO of Grassroots Grocery, Dan Zauder. He has introduced even more ways for me to get involved, including bringing more of my friends/family members to produce parties and teaching those around me the mission statement/goal of the organization.