Hello all, My name is Samantha Culver and I am the new Child Hunger Corps Member for Good Shepherd Food Bank. My position is a two-year service commitment funded through Feeding America that is driven by the goal of fighting child food insecurity.
During my two years at the Food Bank, I will be conducting research about child hunger in Maine and determining programming needs across the state. I will then work on implementing new programs to meet those needs.
I have been told by experienced professionals that it takes a few months to get comfortable in a new job and find your bearings. Well, I quickly found out that is not how it works in the food bank world. I have been trusted to take on responsibilities in my first month of service that I did not expect to have until at least six months in. Therefore, I adapted the noted ideas of Teddy Roosevelt. “When you are asked if you can do a job, tell ’em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get busy and find out how to do it.” I have truly appreciated the support and confidence that has been given to me by not only my supervisor but the entire staff at Good Shepherd Food Bank.
I have not only been given appreciated responsibilities, but my interests have thoughtfully been taken into consideration. Nutrition is a personal passion of mine and the food bank is allowing me the opportunity to expand on that interest area in a professional setting, as well. I have had the unique opportunity to develop a Healthy Newsletter that we are inserting into the bags of food that go out to school children each week through the BackPack Program. I am also developing cooking classes for BackPack program families.
The Food Bank is very excited with the news of recently received funding for the Kids Cafe program, making it possible for us to open two new feeding sites. I have had the opportunity to play a role in selecting the snacks for the Kids Cafe based on nutritional value and using the research I have done so far to pick the sites for new Kids Cafes. Needless to say, I have hit the road running and am extremely happy with the kick-off to my two-year service term!