On Mon, April 14th, 2025, from 9am to 1pm, members of the AYLUS Roslyn Branch volunteered at NOSH Delivers!, a nonprofit organization that provides free meals to local families in need.
When we arrived, the friendly staff greeted us and gave us instructions for the day. 2 volunteers helped pack and organize boxes of hand sanitizers, then put them on shelves for customers, and some in storage. Other 2 volunteers went to help in the produce market room where they organized and handed out fresh produce to customers. Afterward, we helped pack grocery bags filled with canned goods, such as chicken soups, green beans, pasta sauce, peanut butter, apple sauce, and pasta for deliveries and pick up by the local families. Following this, volunteers helped to unpack and go through the donated vegetables and fruits (lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, grapes) that had just been delivered from the supermarkets, separating the fresh ones from the spoiled produce.
One of the challenges we faced was realizing how much spoiled food is donated to the food pantry regularly and how much food waste is happening daily at the local supermarkets. The amount of food that was fresh and still in good condition was only a small fraction. For example, we had to dispose of hundreds of pounds of avocado, cucumbers, lettuce, and grapes that were donated because they were no longer fresh, crushed or gone moldy. Sorting through the produce was a slow and tedious process so many of the adult volunteers pitching in to help and it helps the process move much faster.
Overall, this is a rewarding experience knowing that every volunteer serves an important role in the food pantry as we help serve hundreds of families in need daily. They will enjoy fresh and healthy food that we helped put together.
Members who participated: Jaden Zhang (4 hrs), Josephine Zhang (4 hrs), Austin Guo (4 hrs), Miles Hu (4 hrs)
Reporter: Miles Hu
