Busy pre-med student makes time to help neighbors in need

April 23, 2021

Like many of our volunteers, Nivi already has a fully schedule, but she is committed to helping her neighbors. She is a pre-med student at the University of Delaware, and when she graduates next month she will have earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in medical diagnostics and a Bachelor of Arts degree in liberal studies. After a gap year – during which she will be working and finishing applications to medical schools – Nevi will be a full-time student again, working toward her goal of becoming a doctor, maybe a pediatrician.

Since January, Nivi has volunteered regularly – and enthusiastically at the Food Bank of Delaware’s Newark site. “It’s so much fan,” she said, adding that she signs up for regular shifts. She took a break for exams, but when then she was back at the Food Bank.

“My favorite thing is working in the kitchen,” Nivi said. When she helps pack meal boxes – three meals a day for homeless people – and loads those boxes into a cooler, she said she feels as though she’s provides immediate help for our neighbors.

Nivi says she often encourages a friend to join her packing and sorting in our volunteer room. “It’s for other people, and it’s worth it,” she said. “I really like working at the Food Bank; I’ve made a lot of friends.”

Volunteers are the heart and soul of our organization. They assist the organization by sorting and packing food donations, preparing and packing meals for children, creating meal boxes for families and seniors and more. Last year, we had: 17,166 volunteer visits for a total of 49,000 donated hours. This is the equivalent of almost 24 full-time staff members!

To learn more about volunteering or to sign up for a volunteer shift, click here.