Food Bank - an activity in USA

As the sun rose over Houston (one of the largest cities in the USA), the vibrant, humming operation of the Houston Food Bank was already in full swing. With more than 1,100,000 people receiving assistance every year, it is the largest food bank in the United States and helps almost an endless amount of people facing food insecurity. As such, it goes without saying that the food bank’s volunteers and employees are the reason for its success. I had the pleasure of joining as a volunteer and I saw all the hard work that goes into feeding families and individuals throughout the Houston area.

A food bank, such as the Houston Food Bank, is not simply a place where food is donated; rather, it's a prominent operation committed to the charge of eradicating hunger on a large scale. Such organizations gather and distribute food to individuals and families who go without basic nutritious food because they can't afford it. But what exactly does that mean? The process begins with getting food from various other places--donations, businesses, manufacturers, farms, and even out of government programs. Once those products are gathered, they're stored by the food bank. Such commodities are sorted and then redistributed to other organizations such as food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, and after-school programs that provide the food directly to those in need. Food banks can be seen as the centralized hubs that serve as the filters through which food resources are further brought to local communities. Food is not distributed directly to individuals but rather through a network of local agencies that are in closer contact with people that deal with food insecurity. This means that the food reaches the people who need it most, whether they're families facing hard economic times, senior citizens on fixed incomes, or children needing weekend meals. While I went there, I was most amazed by the vastness of the Houston Food Bank; at around 800,000 square feet, it is one of the largest food banks in the country. Inside, shelves were stuffed with donated food.

As a volunteer, I helped pack bags intended for children. Most of the children served by the Houston Food Bank eat for the most part on school meals; when given weekends or breaks for holidays, children often suffer from hunger. The Houston Food Bank responds to this need by packing special bags of foods designed to provide meals for children when they're out of school. When school is out for the weekend or during holiday breaks, access to nutrition becomes a huge problem for these children. These packs normally contain nutritious staples like cereal, pasta, canned fruits, and easy-to-eat snacks, which the kids can have for meals at home.

The real charm of my volunteering experience was the diversity of people working together. Volunteers came from everywhere—students, retirees, families, and charitable organizations, all giving their time and effort in support of others. Volunteering at the Houston Food Bank opened my eyes to how critical such organizations are to the effort against hunger. It is easy to forget that hunger touches so many people, including children who depend on food banks to help feed them through the week.

But seeing the work being done at the Houston Food Bank, I realized that they are not just providing food—they are providing hope, stability, and dignity for thousands of people every day.

• Vivaan Kotnis (Grade IX age 14 yrs)