Angel Menchaca, Katelyn Lowry, Ayah Kantari, and many other committed NHS members decided to spend the Saturday before Thanksgiving break cutting and packaging 7,168 Capri Sun straws that were not attached to the drinks and therefore were considered damaged. The sight of all the straws in a round bin dismayed the volunteers. NHS advisor, Melissa Wang said, “at first we thought we had to do what?” and that it seemed like a lot of work, but eventually “It started to feel like we were just hanging out”. Sophomore, Ayah Kantari said, “ [they] made strategies to make it go faster. Someone would cut the straws and another person would package them”.

This year, NHS discovered the perfect way to make volunteering and community service hours something that the members look forward to and enjoy. They have sponsored the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County and help out by volunteering there monthly. It has been a great way for members to bond while helping their community.

Second Harvest Food Bank’s mission is to make certain that there is no hunger in Orange County and “a lot of the donations come from manufacturers,” said Wang. Food manufacturers donate foods with damaged packaging and NHS’ main job is to “package the food for families,” said Cat Nolan, NHS advisor.

They volunteer one Saturday a month for about three hours each time and the hours go towards the member’s chapter hours. Anyone can volunteer and “it’s a good opportunity for students to see and learn things that otherwise they wouldn’t have,” said Wang. “we were bonding and we had fun,” said Kantari. Volunteers get the chance to talk and see what other people help out with while working. It’s also a great and creative way to save food and feed those in need instead of it being thrown away.