Roger Pickell, of Niles, is a member of the Calvary Road Community Church and volunteers as an outreach coordinator for the Feeding America program, which supplies groceries to those in need.
Rain, snow or shine, Pickell is one of many volunteers who sets up tables pilled high with food. Those who show up in need of food can pack a grocery cart full of food.
Pickell brings a multitude of supplies for the grocery distribution, including carts, bags, boxes, water and a canopy in the event of rain. He also coordinates with Feeding America to order 8,000 pounds of food and then schedules and directs the truck to the correct destination at the First Baptist Church, 1446 E. Main St. parking lot, which loans the space to the Calvary Road Community Church.
Money for the groceries comes primarily through church donations and a Feeding America grant. The cost equates to about 12 cents a pound, Pickell said.

Why did you pick this particular cause to advocate?
We partner with them because they get all the food, but their task then is to get it out to the people. I think that people pay other bills first and then they wind up short on food and there’s a problem when a person loses their job, before they can get set up on any kind of help there is usually quite a period of time and so those people can get pretty hungry, so I see it as an outlet for surplus food and it helps people who are low income.

How did you become involved with Feeding America?
I was on the board of God’s Abundant Pantry and I was involved in the local church program called Help Net, where we handled all the requests that came in to the church for help with electric bills, rent, car needs. Once I got on the board of God’s Abundant Pantry, then I volunteered to haul food for them and that put me in touch with Feeding America, because I would take the truck to Feeding America in Benton Harbor and they load up a lot of times five or six skids of food. Every Tuesday I load that up and go to God’s Abundant Pantry. They told me about this mobile pantry project, so we had them come to God’s Abundant Pantry and we saw how it worked and then I introduced them to the church in Niles.

What do you enjoy about your volunteer work?
I like feeling like I am making a difference in people’s lives. There is a really great payback to those personally when you help other people. I had a good job with Xerox for 36 years and so I am in a position where I do have a retirement and so I do not have to get another job and I still have my health, so this is a great thing for me. I stay active and I get to work with a lot of people who feel the same way and want to give back to the community, so all around it is just a great experience.

Why would you encourage others to volunteer?
It takes the focus off of yourself and directs it to other people and it is a great benefit to anyone who wants to reach out and help someone else. I think that is the main reason. It may seem selfish, but you benefit more when you do that than when you are benefitting others.

What do you get out of your volunteer work?
Just the satisfaction of knowing that maybe you are making a difference for other people. It feels like God calls us. If we have more than we need, I think He wants us to share with those that are less fortunate and so I feel like I am doing his work.
I do not want the focus to be on me. There are so many volunteers that are really faithful and are doing kind of the same thing that I am doing and I really appreciate Martin’s. They are so helpful in letting us use the carts.

Do you know a volunteer worthy of recognition? Nominate him or her as the Volunteer of the Week by calling the newsroom at (269) 687-7713, or emailing news@leaderpub.com