We pulled into the parking lot a little before 5:00 pm. The volunteers were already gathered and had made two long lines of empty boxes. Our two trucks were filled with the food that Free the Need volunteers had collected throughout the week; food that would have otherwise ended up in landfill. The food is brought to this local Klamath River center to be distributed to families in need.
The volunteers worked together like a well-oiled machine. Vegetables, fruit, canned foods, bread, cheese, and milk, along with flowers, were put into the boxes. After checking them to make sure the food looked evenly distributed, everyone lined up to receive boxes for their families and neighbors. The whole operation was joyful, friendly and took less than an hour.
In addition to Klamath River, Free the Need delivers food to families in San Francisco. The organization is all volunteer, so any cash donations received go 100% to food distribution. Free the Need believes in an abundant universe. Its volunteers are breaking the chain of poverty by distributing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. If a family is freed of the need for food, they can put more energy into creating a better life. Free the Need believes that there is enough of what people need to go around, and that once people feel filled up, they have enough surplus to give to others.
I also believe in an abundant universe, and am honored to be a member of Free the Need’s board of directors. I attended a planning meeting for 2018, and was impressed by the care with which plans and procedures for the new year were discussed. Free the Need is launching a fund-drive to raise money to purchase an additional truck needed for food transportation. They are also looking into a storage facility in San Francisco to support their growing work. For more information, or if you would like to volunteer or make a gift of support, please visit their website at www.freetheneed.org/.
Connie Cummings
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