Top 10 Reasons to Volunteer for TasteWise Kids
by Mandy Chan and Aazam Yaqoob, TasteWise Kids/Days of Taste Volunteers
Top Ten Reasons to Volunteer with TasteWise Kids
As valued members of TasteWise Kids, volunteers are the engine behind the organization. Not sure what you can get out of volunteering? A couple of our volunteers compiled a list of the top ten reasons why you should volunteer to help show you!
- Give back to the community
Whether it be in Howard County, Baltimore County, or Baltimore City, there are many opportunities to get involved with schools in the community. Contributing to local schools allows volunteers to give back and do purposeful work.
- Learn from youth
Tastewise Kids works with elementary students, allowing volunteers to learn how the students think and what questions they have about food. The students’ food culture can teach the volunteers a lot about how TasteWise Kids can positively influence the community.
- Be a valued member of the organization
Since volunteers are the foundation of TasteWise Kids, each volunteer’s ideas and feedback are welcomed with open minds. Whether it be through interacting with students for Days of Taste or contributing new ideas for workshops, the organization allows volunteers’ voices to be heard.
- Volunteer with ease
Show up for Day 2 of the three-day Days of Taste Workshop and find that there is no requirement or complex background information needed to lend a helping hand. The ease of contributing to the organization makes it easy to volunteer with any commitments or work schedule you may have.
- Get a hands-on experience
Interactive workshops allow volunteers to get their hands “dirty”. Whether it be mixing salads with the students or helping students taste new foods, volunteers play a major role in facilitating workshops.
- Help students experience new flavors
Volunteers have first-hand experiences of seeing students taste new foods and flavors for the first time. Providing students with food they may have never heard of can be a rewarding experience. Who knows, you may have introduced someone to their new favorite vegetable!
- Work with passionate individuals
TasteWise Kids contains a community of individuals from all backgrounds. From teachers to chefs to major foodies, TasteWise Kids allows diverse groups of people come together for a common cause.
- Learn about food and flavor
Volunteers themselves get to learn from their peers, chefs, other food professionals, and educators about healthy food, nutrition, and flavor. They even learn about sourcing and careers in the food industry. TasteWise Kids events provide unique food experiences. A recent example is the Farm to Chef fundraiser, which brought together local chefs and farms to create innovative and yummy dishes.
- Have Fun!
Spending a day on a local farm or with kids experimenting with flavors is a pretty fun way to spend your time. Beyond being potentially rewarding, impactful, and interesting, there are certainly many opportunities to experience fun food adventures.
- Make an impact
Tastewise Kids inspires the youth to build positive, healthy eating habits for life. The organization empowers individuals to make informed consumer choices and exposes them to experiences that can positively impact their lifestyles. No matter how small, every volunteer at TasteWise Kids has the ability to make an impact!
So what are you waiting for? Your impactful food adventures await!