A heartfelt thank you to the CRC volunteers
submitted by Carol Wotring, executive director Manchester Community Resource Center
April is National Volunteer Month. And Manchester’s Community Resource Center has some terrific volunteers! I’d like to introduce you to a few of them:
Francisca Fernandez wanted to make a difference in our community. She enjoys meeting new people and began volunteering in the food pantry one afternoon a week in March 2023, assisting shoppers and filling pick-up orders. Her passion for equity led her to join the new Equity Team at CRC, helping to create an equity action plan to ensure that CRC meets the needs of all our community members. Francisca is bilingual and has made herself available to translate to Spanish-speaking clients of CRC. Her leadership qualities led her to become a CRC Board member and recently she began serving as the vice president of the Board. We appreciate Francisca’s enthusiasm and commitment to the CRC and to the residents of Manchester.
Jodi Burke wanted to do something meaningful in her retirement. In early 2023, she started working in the food pantry on Monday mornings. Soon after she started, she added packing the Weekend Kids Meal kits each week. Jodi packs meal kits for children in the Manchester School District who experience food insecurity when not in school. Jodi is also a member of the CRC VITA team and assisted clients with the “Scan and Go” tax return service, which is a free tax-preparation service for any household that earns less than $64,000. And Jodi is skilled in information technology and is helping the CRC staff to update data collection methods. Jodi is a woman of many talents, and we are so happy she shares them with CRC!
At 91, Deloris Notten “retired” from the CRC earlier this year. For the last 11 years, she volunteered in the food pantry, packing phone orders of groceries and welcoming in-person shoppers. Deloris was kind to everyone she met. She enjoyed talking with shoppers and sharing the occasional recipe with them. Deloris exemplifies the volunteer spirit — prior to her work at CRC, she volunteered for 19 years at Chelsea Hospital and at the Chelsea Senior Center. Deloris values service and we value Deloris!
And these are just a few of the stories of our amazing volunteers! Look for more CRC Volunteer Stories in April on our Facebook page (facebook.com/CRCManchesterMI48158).
Since our beginning in 1987, the work of the CRC has been about meeting the basic needs of Manchester-area residents. And at the heart of this commitment is the belief in the volunteer spirit to address these needs and improve the quality of life for those living in the Manchester area. In 2023, CRC volunteers provided almost 2,000 hours of service to our community. At CRC, volunteers work in the food pantry, deliver groceries to homebound residents, provide direction and guidance to CRC as Board members, assess equity at CRC, implement an equity action plan, answer the phones, pack Weekend Kids Meal kits, conduct surveys with CRC clients, provide information and Wooden Nickels at the Manchester Farmers Market, unload the Food Gatherers truck …
There are only two paid staff members at CRC. We literally could not do this work without our volunteers. And so, I say, on behalf of the Manchester Community, thank you to each CRC volunteer, past and present. Each of you has made a difference in our community. And if you have a desire to volunteer at CRC, please call (734) 428-7722.
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