Volunteer Spotlight: Robin Stocking
For Robin Stocking, volunteering offers purpose, routine, and connection. After retiring from engineering roles at Boeing and Starbucks, he found a meaningful way to give back through Food Lifeline’s sort-and-repack sessions, helping ensure local food banks have the food they need to support their communities. Volunteering twice a week since 2020, he’s also discovered the satisfaction of seeing the impact of his work firsthand. On his 423rd day of service, we sat down with him to learn what keeps him coming back and why the work means so much to him.
Just after retiring, Robin heard a radio ad for Food Lifeline. He’d been wanting to start volunteering somewhere, so in December of 2020, he completed his first sort and repack session. Though those early pandemic shifts involved distancing and safety precautions, volunteer groups also used the experience to reconnect, and he liked the sense of hands-on, immediate accomplishment.
“At Boeing, I sometimes worked on something for years, and it eventually ended up on an airplane, but I rarely saw it… Here, the result is visible right away. I can look at a 757 and know I worked on part of its landing system, or see equipment in Starbucks and know I contributed, but volunteering offers a much more immediate sense of completion.”
And, he said, “I had fun.”
He made volunteering a regular commitment, coming in twice a week to sort and repack food. His regular role has given him a sense of purpose and routine, as well as an opportunity to connect with staff and other volunteers.
“I like having a reason to get up on Tuesday morning and drive in,” says Robin. “I don’t know exactly what I’ll be doing, but it will probably be something I’ve done before. I also know all the coordinators and many of the regular volunteers.”
The work also gives Robin a direct way to support neighbors as grocery and living costs rise.
“Food costs are so high, and food banks can really help people stretch their budgets. That can leave money for gas, school supplies for their kids, and other necessities. This place—or any food bank—is a great place to make an impact.”
He enjoys that this role allows him to play a behind-the-scenes role in helping his community thrive. And, he has invited friends and family members to participate and believes more people could make an impact through food-bank service.
Having completed 423 volunteer shifts, Robin says he looks forward to continuing to support his community.
“I hope to keep doing this for a long time.”