April is National Volunteer Month, a month dedicated to recognizing the importance of volunteering and honoring the significant contributions volunteers make to building stronger communities. Last year alone, volunteers at the Bellevue Food Pantry donated more than 2,100 hours of service. Each year, Independent Sector gathers data and conducts research on volunteerism in the nonprofit sector (Independent Sector, April 2022). Using the current estimated national value for a volunteer hour at $29.95, last year volunteers at the Bellevue Food Pantry provided $62,895 of value in volunteer hours to the pantry.
“While this estimate is significant, it cannot fully capture how grateful we are to our volunteers and how much value they truly bring by helping to fight food insecurity in Sarpy County. Volunteers are the lifeblood of our operation, and without them and the support of the Bellevue community this work would not be possible.”
Deanna Wagner, Bellevue Food Pantry Manager
This month, we are excited to announce the return of the annual Scouting for Food event in Bellevue. Scouting for Food is an annual community service effort supported directly by the Mid-America Council, Boy Scouts of America, and partner organizations in our community. Each year, Scouts across Nebraska and Western Iowa collect nearly 200,000 food items for those in need. This is the equivalent of approximately 114,000 meals. We are grateful to the local Scouts in the Bellevue area who collect and deliver all of the community donations to the Bellevue Food Pantry.
The weekend prior to the event, Scouts distribute grocery bags and flyers on porches throughout the community (April 15, 2023). The flyer asks local residents to fill the grocery bag with non-perishable food items and leave it on their porch the following Saturday for the Scouts to pick up. Donation pick-up in Bellevue will take place on Saturday, April 22, 2023. Please leave food donations on your doorstep or the outside of your home by 8:00 AM on, Saturday, and local Scouts will collect donations between 8 am and noon.
If you do not receive information or a grocery bag, we welcome you to bring your donations to the Bellevue Food Pantry on April 22, 2023 between 10AM and 1PM (1912 Hancock Steet) and volunteers will help unload. Thank you for teaming up with us to fight hunger in Bellevue and Sarpy County. If you would like to volunteer for this event, please sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0945AFA62EA4FFC07-scout
To be eligible for services at the Bellevue Food Pantry, guests must be a resident of Sarpy County, show a photo ID, and complete a simple one- page information form on their first visit, then just a photo ID for subsequent visits.
Hours of operation are Monday, 9AM-4PM, Tuesday 9AM-4PM, Wednesday 9AM-6PM, and Thursday 9AM-4PM.
For more information and to stay up to date on news and engagement opportunities, follow us on Facebook: @Bellevue NE Food Pantry; Instagram: @encapnebraska; Twitter: @encap_nebraska; or our website at www.encapnebraska.org.
