Logistics and the Food Bank
I observe an incredible amount of logistics when I volunteer each month at our local food bank. Food is donated from a multitude of sources including government programs, community food drives and individual contributions. It arrives packed in bulk quantities on pallets from the federal government and in small grocery bags of assorted items from local citizens. All of the items need to be resorted and repackaged so that families will have access to a variety of foods in quantities that meet their needs.
My first few volunteer sessions I floated around to various departments like produce and dairy, but lately find myself consistently in the dry goods sorting room where pallets of assorted items are delivered to the sorting room to take the next steps in the process from arrival to distribution:
- Teams of volunteers sort a box at a time into carts by type so that they can be counted.
- Boxes of donations are resorted into carts by type of item such as canned vegetable, cereal, oatmeal, fruit, large soup, small soup, coffee, tea, baking ~ there are close to forty different sorts.
- Each group of items is then counted and entered into the tracking system that records the amount by donor.
- The counted items are sorted into their storage bins and then stocked to the shelves for clients to choose from.
The same process and sort function goes on in other departments ~ dairy products into yogurt, eggs, milk; pizza & baked goods into smaller packages; produce into bins by type. Any particular item gets handled several times from its initial donation until it ultimately is delivered to the community.
I think I probably demonstrated my accounting inclinations at an early age ~ I was always sorting items by type, color, whatever I could figure out. I’ve come to see accounting as a giant sort function, taking large amounts of data and sorting it into its relevant buckets. I find it a bit funny that volunteering with cans of green beans and packets of oatmeal, I am still doing the same function.
As always, each time I volunteer, I am humbled by the grace and kindness of the volunteers and clients at the food bank. I am grateful that Townsend Security encourages and allows me the opportunity to contribute back to our community with its Volunteer Program.
Sandra, Controller at Townsend Security
I dropped a tomato and it rolled away under the table. I picked up a bag of pears and the pears skittered across the floor as the wet bottom gave away. I juggled the eggplants as they slipped through my hands. All of these nervous first steps were right in front of the seasoned verterans who were showing me the ropes the morning before the Thurston County Food Bank opened. With all of this, I thought the Food Bank might not really want me helping in the produce section if I was going to cause so much vegetable trauma. But the other volunteers were kind and patient; and I persisted through that embarrassing start. By the end of the day, I ended up sorting several boxes of fall produce – apples, kale, squash, pears and lettuce. If anything was found too ripe during final inspection, we set it aside to give to local farmers to feed their livestock. Once the food bank opened, I helped staff the dry goods aisle, helping customers select their allotted items.
October is national Cancer Awareness Month, so to support those we love and those who have been afflicted, a few of us from Townsend Security flew to Chicago to participate in the 
nter that includes a park with a lake and walking trails. The shopping was tempting, but we were here to raise money to fight cancer. Just as the walk was about to begin, a light drizzle began falling all around us and we became dubious about what the weather conditions might be for the rest of the day. Fortunately, just as the walk started, the rain let up. We began to think that we might actually have a dry walk after all. However, half-way through...the rain was back with a vengeance. The rain refused to let up but it couldn't dampen ours' (or any of the participants') excitement and enthusiasm. Finally, an hour later, we finished - a team of 8 soaking wet WINNERS!!
When we walked in the room at St. Martins University, there was a look of amazement in my eyes to see the amount of people involved in our community. Two hundred people filled the room Tuesday for a lunch put on by United Way for their Spirit of Giving celebration. Today was not just a lunch date, it was for honoring businesses and community members for their stewardship. We had the chance to enjoy listening to one of the local high school choir groups and Bill Grace, the director of Common Good Works, speak to us about “Leadership for the Common Good.” We had a few heart felt moments during our special lunch, for example when handing out the Gladys Burns Human Service Award. The award went to a man who has recently passed away, but has left a hand print in the world with his generosity toward Thurston County. His wife accepted the award on his behalf and explained how his life was spent helping others. 
Townsend Security received the award of corporate sponsor of the year, by increasing our donations by 132%. Here at Townsend, our company matches our donations dollar for dollar to any 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, up to $500 per employee each calendar year.
Townsend Security heartily supports non-profit organizations in our community. So it comes as no surprise that several Townsend Security employees were spotted at the annual United Way “Power of the Purse” fundraiser last week.