The holidays may be over, but the start of the new year means plenty of chances to support our hungry neighbors. As MOFC’s Volunteer Services Director Liz Garrabrant explained, January and February are the perfect time to make a big impact.
“We tend to get lots of interest from new volunteers around the holidays, and we’re grateful for that giving spirit,” Liz said. “We’ve also noted that shifts in January and February tend to fill up slower even though the community need is still high. That makes the new year an amazing time to make a difference.”
It’s typical for 90% of MOFC volunteer shifts every December to be filled by the first of that month, Liz said. Compare that to January, which for the past several years has usually had about a third of its slots open as of New Year’s Day.
The need, meanwhile, often remains high or even increases after the holidays. MOFC’s network had 135,000 service visits in December 2024. It had 136,000 and 146,000 in January and February 2025. MOFC needs up to 1,000 volunteers per week to help all those neighbors.
“Hunger lives in Ohio year-round, but so does our neighbors’ generosity. Volunteering this time of year with your family, church, or workplace is a great way to give back when we could really use the help,” Liz said.
Visit mofc.org/volunteer to sign up for a shift.
