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catwrangler1

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1 reviews

Review for Harvesters Community Food Network, Kansas City, MO, USA

Rating: 3 stars  

Our group of mostly older adults volunteered one afternoon. We lifted frozen meat ranging from lunch meat up to roasts and turkeys from large deep boxes into 30-lb. boxes, which we then carried to a table to be weighed. This was rather strenuous work requiring repeated bending, and involved comparatively heavy lifting considering the average age of the volunteers.

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

I've read about the good work they do.

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

Make sure that the task is suited to the volunteer group. Most of the time this is probably no problem.

Would you volunteer for this group again?

Unsure

For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?

Some

Did the organization use your time wisely?

Okay

Would you recommend this group to a friend?

Unsure

What one change could this group make that would improve your volunteer experience?

Be sensitive to the age and physical condition of volunteers. I'm middle-aged, not elderly, but I have a degenerative disc in my neck and could not lift 30-pound boxes -- had to push them with my foot. Some of our volunteers were considerably older. Make sure the volunteer task is suited to the volunteers -- please save heavy lifting for younger adults. Consider that after a couple hours of fast-paced, rigorous work we might want to sit down rather than spend another 30 minutes standing on hard concrete listening to an detailed, fact-filled tour. When we finally got to sit down it was to view a video with even more facts about the organization. Speaking just for myself, a total of five minutes of factual information about the organization would have sufficed. I appreciate the good work that this organization does, but this was information overload.

Did your volunteer experience have an effect on you? (teaching you a new skill, or introducing new friends, etc.)

There's a lot of work to be done there, and it was good to contribute to the cause.

How did this volunteer experience make you feel?

Somewhat exploited.

Role:  Volunteer & Unpack and repack item.
 
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