Our first volunteer highlight features Vera Kellar. Vera is a retired Army Lt. Colonel and Red Cross Specialist. In her prior careers, Vera was a Military Police Officer and then assisted Red Cross disaster relief efforts in Bosnia, Korea, Bahrain and Afghanistan. Now that Vera has decided to “slow down” a bit, we at Care and Share have the privilege of working with her. Vera has been volunteering with us since February, 2013 and during this time has had a BIG impact.
She started as most volunteers at Care and Share do–sorting and packing food. Our Programs staff quickly noticed Vera’s desire and ability to help in new and meaningful ways. She was asked to monitor our partner agencies and conduct interviews with those utilizing food pantries or soup kitchens for Feeding America’s Hunger Study. Vera says the Hunger Study was incredibly meaningful work because she was able to give voice to the people who aren’t often heard. The summer she worked on the Hunger Study was the same summer that brought the Black Forest Fire, so Vera also signed up to distribute Care and Share food boxes for evacuees and other affected citizens at the Citizens Service Center.
We opened our Welcome Office in the fall of 2013 and Vera was asked to train new volunteers to help us greet donors and agencies and furnish emergency bags of food to folks in need at the front doors of the Colorado Springs facility. Vera’s been a lead in this capacity ever since. She is a big believer that EVERY single person who walks through the door is important and EVERY volunteer counts in getting the work done. We couldn’t agree more and we’re truly grateful for the work Vera does to help us alleviate hunger throughout Southern Colorado!
