Those who give voluntarily of their time take center stage during April's National Volunteer Month. And New Mexico's Roadrunner Food Bank wants more volunteers to experience the rewards of helping others.

The Food Bank, like many nonprofit organizations, lost some of its regular volunteers during the pandemic - said Barbara Guenther, the manager of volunteer programs for Roadrunner. She said she's a firm believer that volunteer work should be fun.

"I always feel like with volunteering, sometimes people aren't really sure what they're getting into," said Guenther, "but if they can just get there and get their foot in the door, and kind-of get a little bit of experience - if that's a great experience - it's much easier to get them to come back."

The monthlong recognition of volunteers is an extension of National Volunteer Week, April 16 through the April 22 - first established in 1974.

Food from Roadrunner and other hunger-relief organizations will be in greater demand this year, since Congress has ended pandemic-related emergency benefits to households that participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Guenther said Roadrunner isn't a food pantry, but rather a food bank - operating a warehouse that includes a production center, where volunteers typically work two-hour shifts.

Volunteers sort produce and dry and canned goods which are delivered by truck to food pantries, senior centers, group homes, shelters, school partners and other locations.

"We get bulk food donations often," said Guenther, "so what we do is take those 50- or 100-pound bags of pinto beans or black beans, and repack them into 12- or 16-ounce bags that a family can use."

Roadrunner also offers mobile markets - smaller trucks sent to highly underserved communities with little access to fresh produce, or where Guenther says residents have fewer grocery stores or healthy food options.

"So," said Guenther, "we pack things up in a truck and once a month, they drive the truck out there, pull everything out, so that folks from the community can come and have that ability to get fresh fruits and vegetables, in particular, and healthier options for dry goods and canned goods."

She said of the millions of pounds of food and meals distributed to those facing hunger, nearly 30% is vegetables and fresh fruit.

A California group formed after the firestorm that leveled the town of Paradise is stepping up to help Maui recover from its own disaster last month. Leaders from the Medspire nonprofit mobile clinic in Paradise donated money and expertise to medical staff on Maui.

Elisabeth Gundersen, Medspire co-founder, said a mentor program is being formed to pair survivors from Maui with people from Paradise who can help people deal with insurance companies, aid programs and post-traumatic stress.

"When something like this - it's unprecedented, two groups of people who've experienced something so similar, I think it's really helpful and healing on both sides to have that connection," she explained. "Be able to ask questions and talk through really unique and traumatic experiences."

Medspire donated $7,500 immediately after the fire to help with medicines, durable medical equipment, and flights to bring in extra medical personnel. The group also put the team on Maui in touch with the organization Direct Relief, which provided more than $200,000 in grants and sent planeloads of medications and personal protective equipment.

Dr. Trina Chakravarty, an OB-GYN physician who practices at Malama I Ke Ola Health Center in Lahaina, and at Maui Memorial Hospital, said this type of care is critical.

"Medspire set our expectations that it takes a while to have an organized assessment and control," Chakravarty explained. So, they gave us the resources that we needed to be able to actually offer some type of organized care."

Medspire also connected the Maui team with the International Technology Disaster Resource Center, which provides no-cost emergency communications and technical resources that help communities begin recovery after catastrophic events.


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A shortage of volunteers is taking its toll on food banks in Washington state.

Joe Gruber, executive director of the University District Food Bank in Seattle, said they have about 300 weekly volunteers who make their operations possible. But with COVID-19 worries subsiding this summer, their usual volunteer base has been getting out and traveling more than past years.

Gruber pointed out the shortage comes at an unfortunate time because they are busier than at any point during the pandemic, seeing 50% more people in 2023 than 2022. He acknowledged the increased need stems from a confluence of issues.

"The inflation that folks have experienced over the last few years, and then we've also seen an erosion of some of the enhanced benefits like SNAP had received some extra dollars," Gruber outlined.

An increase in funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during the pandemic ended in March. A recent study found SNAP recipients experienced a 21% increase in food insufficiency after the increase ended.

Gruber emphasized the lack of volunteers is hurting not just inside the food bank but in other operations, such as their home delivery program. He added they have also seen a 10% to 15% decline in food donations, which means they have to buy more food.

"We're needing to fundraise more money to make sure that we've got those resources available, and that's another way that volunteers have helped us in the past," Gruber stressed. "We have an annual fundraising auction where we'll hope to raise $250,000 or $300,000, and it happens because volunteers commit."

Gruber noted fortunately for his food bank, students at the nearby University of Washington campus lend their assistance.

"They've engaged deeply in our work and supported it," Gruber observed. "Hopefully for us, we'll have a resource that not every food bank will have available to them; an abundant pool of interested and engaged students starting back in the fall."


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The burden of medical debt is not so heavy anymore for some lucky North Carolina residents.

The Coastal Credit Union Foundation partnered with the nonprofit RIP Medical Debt to wipe away some medical bills for about 1,200 people in central North Carolina. A grant of $17,000 was used to settle nearly $2.2 million in debt.

Joe Mecca, vice president of communications for the Coastal Credit Union Foundation, said the ripple effect of medical bills can take a toll on individuals' financial and emotional well-being, so the credit union was happy to help provide a pathway to a fresh start.

"Once they're able to get back on their feet from an occupational standpoint, they still have that medical debt looming over them," Mecca observed. "Clearing that out might be enough to get them back on the path to stability."

The problem of unpaid medical debt is a pressing issue in North Carolina, which ranks among the states with the highest percentages of medical debt in the country, according to a 2022 study by The Urban Institute.

The impact of medical debt is not limited to financial strain. The stress and anxiety associated as the bills mount can affect mental health as well. Adults facing medical debt are three times more likely to experience mental health concerns, according to a University of South Florida study.

Mecca emphasized helping to clear these balances is a small investment that can make a big difference.

"For us, it's just an extension of our mission and helping people achieve overall financial wellness," Mecca added. "This is the first time we've worked with this organization, and we're just really pleased with the overall impact that they were able to achieve with a relatively small grant from Coastal."

A study by the American Economic Association, found medical debt relief not only improves a person's overall well-being, but also improves their access to health care.