Kris Garrett
Every day, Food Lifeline’s Shop the Dock cooler is “standing room only,” with dozens of food banks and meal programs looking to secure fresh produce, dairy items, and pre-prepared foods for their programs and their guests. In addition to the warehoused food these agencies order online, Shop the Dock allows them to take additional high-value items that come in every day.
Kris Garrett is also a key member of this team.
Kris has been volunteering at Food Lifeline since 2017. Even donning protective gear during the pandemic and working with the National Guard.
“There weren’t many of us, but there were lots of soldiers,” says Kris. “They set up tents, and we loaded the emergency boxes into people’s trunks.”
Once the pandemic passed, Kris continued volunteering, and before long, Shop the Dock needed help. Kris decided to dedicate a full day every week. Today, she helps hundreds of agencies get the fresh food they need.
“I’ve gotten to know the agency partners pretty well. And that helps me find the items they need. I’ll see something in the cooler and say, “Hey, this will work for this agency!”
We asked Kris why volunteering at Food Lifeline is so important to her, and her response was a bit surprising.
“They put me in a position to succeed,” says Kris. “The team here is highly organized, and when I’m here, I’m working. I’ve volunteered for groups in the past that weren’t sure what to do with me, and there was a lot of standing around looking at each other. Feeding people is one of the most important things we can do for our neighbors, and I know that when I’m here, I’m working hard and making a difference.”