“Mission: Possible” focuses on our volunteers, without whom our mission of creating a hunger-free community would be impossible! 

Hayley is a Santa Clara University student and one of the amazing food sorting volunteers at our Cypress Center in San Jose. She has been volunteering three days a week since June. We were impressed by her desire to help the community and wanted to learn more.

Hayley at a Second Harvest food sort

Hayley, tell us about yourself.

I grew up in the East Bay area. I’m currently an undergrad student at Santa Clara University, with a studio arts major on the pre-medical track. I love arts: it’s fun and relaxing! I want to be a doctor later.

Why do you volunteer?

Social justice is important to me. I wanted to help during the summer since I have a lot of free time. I went online and found out about the food sorts at Second Harvest. I’m also a volunteer for an after-school program with an elementary school.

Why do you volunteer with Second Harvest and what inspires you to fight hunger?

I wanted to volunteer with a food bank. If Second Harvest wasn’t there, a lot of people would go hungry. As a Girl Scout in second grade, I remember putting together Thanksgiving grocery bags. I had a great experience and I wanted to do something similar again.

I also just love food in general, and cooking. Every week, I purchase a whole box of food to cook. In high school, one of my senior art projects was pastel illustrations of fruits.

One of Hayley’s pastel illustrations

Your best advice for others looking to volunteer at Second Harvest?

Do it! It’s very fun and I’ve learned a lot since I started volunteering here.  I also enjoy working with all the people I meet!

What’s your best memory so far with Second Harvest?

I had so much fun packaging Brussel sprouts with a team of 4 women. Brussel sprouts can be a little trickier to pack since they need to be precisely measured out, but my group had a great assembly line going so we were completing boxes very fast. Girl power!

Hayley, we are so grateful for your volunteering with us. Thank you!