2021 is the food bank’s 40th year fighting hunger and Gerry’s 26th! As one of our most longstanding volunteers, he absolutely deserves a spot in our #40Years40Faces series.
Every Thursday, Gerry arrives at the food bank around 8:30 in the morning to volunteer in the reclamation center with his friends.
“I love coming here. We look forward to it. My friends, they’ve been coming quite a few years. All of us are single. We’ve lost husbands and wives. This is our social gathering.”
An article in the Grand Rapids Press spotlighting the food bank — then known as Second Harvest Gleaners — is what initially drew him to volunteer.
“After I retired, I wanted something to do. I thought ‘that sounds good’ so I came for an interview and they put me to work right away.”
Since that first experience, he’s rarely missed his weekly volunteer shift. When asked about his experience, he spoke highly of the reclamation staff and the organization at large. He hopes to stick around for a while!
“I really believe in this. I really do.”
26. Gerry Syrba
