The National Volunteer Week theme for 2021 is The Value of One, The Power of Many. How inspiring and true, especially during this past year as we have seen people help each other during the pandemic and also rise together to fight social issues impacting Canadian society. The Oxford dictionary defines a volunteer as a person who does a job without being paid for it. Let’s be clear that just because the work done by a volunteer is unpaid does not mean it does not have value. Every single task a volunteer does counts at the end of the day towards the goal of the organization, making a contribution in achieving the charity’s mission. Volunteering provides an individual with an opportunity to make a difference and to be part of a community. For some, it’s a chance to meet new people and for others, to learn a new skill. Depending on where you want to volunteer, you can help onsite or from the comfort of your home. Find your passion project or learn a new skill. You can make a difference! 5n2 has remained open every day of the week over the pandemic and we have volunteer opportunities to suit many interests. We have positions in the kitchen for food preparation and for cleaning, drivers to deliver food to our clients and for food rescues. We need support with marketing and fundraising activities, social media and some of these roles can be done from home. We have a small community garden for which we are seeking individuals to help us grow herbs and vegetables to be used in the kitchen. On a personal note, I have found my six years with 5n2 as a volunteer to be rewarding. You may contact us here at https://5n2.ca/volunteer for more information. On behalf of our Executive Director, Seema David and Volunteer Coordinator, Indira Steele, we thank our dedicated volunteers for their service over the past years and we welcome new volunteers to the 5n2 team.

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