What is a story? According to Webster’s dictionary, a story is “an account of past events in someone’s/something’s life or in the evolution of something.”
At Second Helpings, stories abound, from the amazing volunteers who have donated over 460,000 hours, to the donors who graciously give their time and money to furthering the cause of rescuing food, feeding the hungry, and job training, to the food donors who give us the food to transform into healthy meals, to the graduates, who spend many intense weeks learning the tools of the trade, and to the partner agencies, who work tirelessly to make life better for the people of Indianapolis. The staff and board and advisory council members have seen Second Helpings grow and expand, from serving 60 meals on its first delivery to 4,000 every day today.
Second Helpings wants to gather and share these stories and that’s where I come in. My name is Abby, and I am an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer here for one year. My goal is to collect and share stories on the impact of Second Helpings on individuals and the Indianapolis community, as well as the impact the community has on Second Helpings. The organization truly transforms lives through the power of food, and I’m here to share stories about why it has.
As part of that, every Sunday we’ll be releasing “Tales from the Table” right here on our blog. At Second Helpings, we believe that all of the best conversations are shared over a meal. We like to think that we are starting 4,000 conversations per day through our hunger relief efforts. With that in mind, we think it’s important to share the stories of the people who make those conversations possible. These stories will revolve around the people I talk to, the organizations I see, and the community I learn from. I hope that you’ll feel empowered by these stories, and maybe share one of your own. No story is too small – all matter in the evolution of Second Helpings, its origins, and its current efforts.
So join us, as we release these stories for you to read, share, learn, grow, and feel empowered. If you have something you’d like to share about Second Helpings, or any of the individuals or organizations your read about, please share it. Maya Angelou said, “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside of you.” Share your story, tell your tale, and help Second Helpings continue to transform lives through the power of food.