BerkshireFoodProjectContactInformation:www.berkshirefoodproject.org
ExecutiveDirectorKimMcMannkim@berkshirefoodproject.orgcell518-805-9066
KitchenAssistantEricEngel
413-664-7378
134MainStreetPOBox1651NorthAdams,MA01247Therearemanywaysforpeopletoprovidefinancialassistancetothe
BerkshireFoodProject.
• Theycanputdonationsinthemailboxmountedonthewallinthediningroom.
• Theycangotoourwebsite(www.berkshirefoodproject.org)andclickon“MakeaDonation”.
• TheycanwriteacheckandmailittotheBFPatPOBox651,NorthAdams,MA01247.
The Volunteers’ Update November 2017
AGREATEVENING!
OnNovember16,theBerkshireFoodProject(BFP)heldourfirstquarterlyvolunteerworkshop.Elevenvolunteersandallofourstaffgatheredfordiscussionandlearning.
Thankstoallwhoparticipated!Thosewhoattendedsaidtheyreallyenjoyedtheevening,whichincludedabriefServSafepresentationbyEricEngelandanactivitytodemonstratethedifferencebetweenlabelingsomebodyandunderstandingwhatgroupexperiencesandknowledgetheymayhave.WealsobeganseekingfeedbackabouttheBFPVolunteerexperiencewithourfallsurvey.PleasebesuretogetacopyofthesurveyandletusknowhowwecanimprovetheexperienceofvolunteeringattheBFP!
Wearehopingtoholdvolunteerworkshopsquarterlyandtohavemorevolunteersparticipateinthefuture.Pleaseaskthosevolunteersthatdidattendabouttheevening–theysaiditwasn’twhattheywereexpecting!
Futureissuesofthisupdatewillbepostedinthekitchenande-mailedtovolunteerswhosignupforthevolunteermailinglist.
Signupbyaddingyoure-mailtothelistinthekitchen.
WHATADAY!!
OnNovember17,inthemiddleoflunchserviceandwithThanksgivingpreparationsmakingthekitchentwiceasbusyasusual,wehadasurpriseinspectionbytheNorthAdamsBoardofHealth.Wegotaperfectscore–theydidn’tfindasinglethingoutofcompliancewiththepublichealthcode.Tohaveaninspectioninthemidstofallthatactivityandstillbecompletelyincomplianceisreallyimpressive–pleasebesuretocongratulateourkitchenmanagerDarleneEllison
herabilitytomaintainsafeconditionsthroughoutourdailyactivities.Ifyoufindwesometimesseemnitpickyaboutlittlethingsinthekitchen,it’sbecausethoselittlethingsarehowwekeepthekitchenandfoodsafeforallandreducethechanceofanyfoodborneillness.Thehealth
departmentoccasionallywillstopinandchecktomakesurewearemaintainingacleanandsafekitchenforeverybodyworkingandeatingattheBFPasamatterofroutine.It’ssoroutine,someofthevolunteersonNovember17didn’tevenknowtheinspectorswerethere–butit’sreassuringforalltoknowtheywerethereandfoundourkitchentobeincompliance!ThankyoutoallofthevolunteerswhohelpuskeepitthatwayeverydayandabigshoutouttoDarleneforallofherhardworkmakingsurewedo.
ADAYON,NOTADAYOFF
January15isMartinLutherKingJr.DayandinnorthernBerkshireCountythatmeansadayofopportunitiestoserve,learnandcelebrate.TheBFPparticipatesinthecommunityeventsthatdayandwelcomevolunteerstojoinus.SeeKimorDarleneifyouwanttobepartofouractivitiesthatday.
EVERYVOLUNTEERISAVALUEDMEMBEROFTHETEAM
Thistimeoftheyearpeoplestartthinkingaboutallofthethingstheyhavetobethankfulabout;theholidaysareatimeofgivingandgivingback.Soitseemslikethistimeofyearwehavealotofvolunteerswhocomeinforasingleshift,ormaybejustacoupleduringtheholidays.Thismightbefrustratingtothe“regulars”whohavetoshowthenewpeoplewherethingsareandtheproperprocedures,knowingthesefreshfacesareonlygoingtobehereonceortwice.Weappreciateallofourvolunteers–itwouldbeimpossibleforustofeedthenumberofpeoplewedoeverydaywithoutallofyou!It’sgreatforpeopletocomeinandseehowmuchourvolunteersaccomplisheverydayandtounderstandtheimportanceofourwork.Sometimesthatvolunteerwhocomesinjustoncetellsdozensofpeopleabouttheexperience,leadingtoincreasedawarenessandsupportoftheBFP.Sometimesthatsingleshiftwillstickwithapersonandwhentheirowncircumstancespermit,theycomebacktovolunteermoreregularly.Studentscomingingainperspectivethatmayimpacttheirfuturecareerchoicesandabusybutinfluentialbusinesspersonmaygetinsightfromasingleshiftthatleadsthemtochangepolicyorshiftfocusoftheircompany’sphilanthropy.Wemaythinkthatnosinglevolunteerworkingasingleshiftisgoingtochangetheworld,butwedon’tknowthelongtermandfarreachingimpactthatexperiencemayhave.Thankyoutoallofourregulars,whetheryourregularshiftiseveryday,onceaweek,onceamonth,onceayear–yourcommitmenttotheBFPisappreciatedandneeded.Andthankyoualsotothosevolunteerswhohavemanagedtostopinjustonce–weappreciateyouandhopeyouwillshareyourexperienceandspreadtheword.THANKYOUandBestWishestoyouasweenterthisseasonofwinterholidays!
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