Cura Mission Service Day

On March 16, the John Cook School of Business Cura Team consisting of Gerry Singer, Debbie Barbeau,Nancy Biscan, Camilla Hall, Judy Pierce, Valerie Shor Perrier, Beth-Anne Yakubu, Jill Newman, and Teresa Walsh completed service at Operation Food Search. 



Team members wrapping and packing donated pottery for Operation Food Search fundraiser.  From left, Nancy Biscan, Judy Pierce, Camilla Hall, Valerie Shor Perrier and Jill Newman.

Team members met prior to the event to select a service location, complete a team building exercise, and determine logistics for the volunteer day.  The day of the event the team of volunteers delivered 10 boxes of canned goods and assisted Operation Food Search in preparing for their fundraiser, Purses 4 Pantries, which was taking place on March 18.  They were touched by the statistics provided by the site coordinator regarding the number of people in the region who are hungry, especially that 1 in 4 children experience hunger.  This organization not only raises money and collects food to meet immediate needs, they provide food education (how to cook with healthy ingredients with recipes and demonstrations), and grocery store education (how to read labels, foods that qualify for WIC program, how to select healthy foods).  They encourage participation of volunteers of all ages, with creative strategies to educate and involve volunteers of all ages. Operation Food Search supports hungry children during the school year by providing meal backpacks to kids who may otherwise go hungry over the weekend.  Seeing huge bins labeled by school definitely made an impression on the group as to the extent of the need and the impact this program has.  To address hunger for these same kids over the summer months, they run a mobile truck to apartment complexes and parks to provide meals and promote healthy exercise for kids.  The most meaningful portion of the service day was the group being together as co-workers doing a good thing.  The experience reminds the group of how extremely blessed they are to have food on the table and have access to healthy food shopping options. On March 16, they acted as a group of women for others who are experiencing hunger.