At World Food Program USA, we want to work with individuals who value volunteerism. If you have had the chance to volunteer, what experiences have impacted you the most?

"When I moved away for college, I began looking for ways to immerse myself in my new community. Eventually, I connected with the Meals on Wheels program, which provides hot and frozen meals to homebound seniors living in isolation. This experience revealed the major problem of food insecurity seniors face in this country and lit the fire in me to commit my life to address this issue. I continue to volunteer with Meals on Wheels to this day, running a weekly delivery route."

"I began volunteering at a local soup kitchen four years ago where I would help purchase, clean, prepare, and serve meals to attendees experiencing homelessness. Besides the housing issue, I noticed how much it meant to the attendees to share a simple meal. Not only were they receiving much-needed sustenance and nutrition, but they were also treated with dignity and provided the opportunity to commune together. I learned that when we serve people, we are not simply providing food. We are empowering their potential and reinforcing their humanity. This observation has been key to my developing worldview."

Discuss how your experience changed you or what you learned from volunteering. This will be an especially strong answer if your volunteer experiences involved food insecurity in some way.