When Sue started volunteering at the Oshkosh Area Community Pantry more than three years ago during the pandemic, she couldn’t have imagined how it would fill her heart. Now, every Monday and Tuesday, she greets families with a warm welcome at the checkout counter — her favorite spot to volunteer.

“Some of the brand-new people that come in, I always do a welcome to them,” Sue shares. “Some of them just break down and cry because the need is there, but they’re embarrassed to have to come to a food pantry. We try to assure them that it’s no big deal. They need it; we’re here for them.”

The need has grown significantly since Sue first started. What used to be 100 visitors a day has swelled to 150, with three to four new families joining every day she volunteers. Many of the people who visit are from working-class families who simply can’t make ends meet with the high costs of food and home goods.

She also sees just how important every donation and every dollar is for her community. Recently, a 75-pound donation of Cheerios arrived when the cereal shelves were completely bare. “We thank them up, down, left, and right,” she says of the donors who make the pantry possible.

Sue is thrilled to be able to volunteer and make a difference for her neighbors. “It does my heart good,” she says.

Thank you for your generosity that allows volunteers like Sue to serve their communities.

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