Volunteer Spotlight

Maria is a long-time volunteer with Nourish. She sits on the Volunteer Team which is responsible for leading volunteer engagement for Nourish, and does some translating for us for our French portal. We are so lucky to have her in the Nourish family!

We asked Maria a few questions about her volunteer work.

Why is Nourish special to you?

I think providing access to healthy food is an important part of creating an environment where young people can learn. Through initiatives like School Health Eating Programs and Grow Eat Learn school gardens, Nourish Nova Scotia helps to provide an important foundation for young people in the province to thrive. I grew up attending a breakfast program in elementary school, and volunteered at the same program when I was in high school, so it’s been really nice to volunteer for the organization that makes a lot of these programs happen!

 What initiatives/work are you most proud of?

In terms of Nourish as a whole, I think School Food Gardens are a huge achievement. They provide an opportunity for young people to get out in nature, learn about growing food where they are and principles of sustainability, and how they can use what they’ve grown in healthy recipes. Specific to the Volunteer Team where I volunteer, I’m proud of the Golden Carrot Award that we have created to recognize a deserving volunteer in the Nourish family! 

What would you advice be to someone who is considering volunteering with Nourish? 

There are so many different opportunities to share your existing skills and develop new ones. From communications, to volunteer recognition, to helping organize and execute Nourish events like the Nourish Food and Film Challenge, to running as part of Team Nourish at the Bluenose Marathon. Get in touch with someone from Nourish if you’re at all interested and they will help you figure out where you can fit within the team!