June 2022 ~ The Latest from Second Helpings Atlanta

Dear Friend,

Second Helpings Atlanta was founded when some curious congregants at Temple Sinai questioned why they tossed leftover food from events. Why not donate it to the hungry? And so, the idea for Second Helpings Atlanta was born. And since 2004, we’ve rescued over 18 million pounds of food and donated it to families facing food insecurity in Atlanta.

At Second Helpings Atlanta, curiosity remains a core value. We always ask questions because we want to know more. One thing we’ve been curious about is whether young people would engage in our work. We hypothesized that kids of all ages have something to learn about food insecurity, food waste, and volunteerism. We were curious: if we offer opportunities, would the kids join?

We were right!

This summer, 49 kids enrolled in our Youth Rescuers program for middle and high school students that runs in the summertime. Each participant attends 3 online classes and also engages in food rescue for a collective total of over 300 hours. The first session was last week, and enthusiasm is high. Enrollment for the program increased by 306% over last year. 

Clearly, people of all ages are interested in our work!

Just a few weeks ago, we spent some time with kids at a local farm through Mind Bubble, a tutoring service that also offers fun, engaging activities. We talked about growing healthy food in healthy soil, how your sense of smell impacts your taste, and asked them to think about a meal that was memorable-it’s easy for me to conjure up so many happy times that involved meals with people I love. 

We had the kids evaluate the program, and one young participant said:

“The workshop was legendary! The most interesting thing about the workshop was tasting the plants. Now that I know more about taking care of plants so they don’t die, I will become a professor of plants and worms.”

Adorable and heart-warming, right?!

We need to find these little moments that bring us joy, especially during times of tumult. I hope the summer allows you to find some too.

Thank you for all you do to support Second Helpings Atlanta and our community.

Andrea Jaron, Executive Director