A true commitment: Newark resident lends a hand for nearly two decades

September 29, 2021

At the Food Bank of Delaware, we like to say that volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. Last year, we had 14,912 volunteer visits for a total of 46,804 hours; that’s the equivalent of 23 full-time staff members. We certainly couldn’t provide much-need services to our neighbors without that kind of support.

That being said, we’d like to give a big shout out to one of our long-time volunteers: Angie Rineer of Newark. Angie hasn’t kept count of the exact number of years she’s donated her time, but she knows it’s at least 18 or 19 years, based upon her career history.

Now, Angie works at Venerable, a West Chester, Pa. company that manages legacy variable annuities acquired from other companies. Venerable supports five days of volunteering for its employees, and Rineer assists in scheduling teams and time for co-workers to also donate time at the Food Bank’s Newark location.

“Our company believes in – and encourages – community service,” she explained.

Over the years, Angie offered hands-on service in packing and sorting, as well as assisting with meal preparation in the kitchen. More recently, she’s brought her 9-year-old son along, and reports that he is an enthusiastic volunteer.

“I like to take advantage of the opportunity to give back to the community, and I’m showing him the importance of giving back,” she added.

Volunteer opportunities vary from day to day, depending on our need. In addition to packing and sorting, volunteers also assist in our farm/ garden operations and during mobile pantries statewide.

To sign up as a volunteer, visit www.fbd.volunteerhub.com.