VIVAs

Very Important Volunteer Awards sponsored by M&T Bank

Did You know?

In 2019, our amazing volunteers gave 16,130 hours of their time. That is equivalent to 9 full-time staff. Volunteers sorted, repacked, and distributed 6.4 million pounds of food and grocery products for our BackPack Program, emergency food boxes, COVID-19 Community Food Distributions, and Mobile Food Pantries. We also had a team of volunteers who helped process registration phone calls during our COVID-19 response.

What are the VIVAs?

VIVAs = Very Important Volunteer Awards
This event is an opportunity for the Food Bank to recognize and thank our valued volunteers for all of their time, efforts, and help in achieving our vision of creating a future without hunger.

Award Categories

Volunteer Excellence
Presented to an individual who has made significant contributions to the Food Bank through time, actions, and long-standing dedication to volunteering.

Volunteer Duo
Presented to two individuals who are role models for compassion and service and strive to make the world a better place by volunteering together on a regular basis.

Excellence in Collaboration
Presented to an influential group whose contributions and partnership with the Food Bank have resulted in a greater collective impact than one organization could achieve on its own.

Excellence in Community Service
Presented to a corporate group whose culture encourages and empowers staff to volunteer. Their efforts and support have made a positive impact on our volunteer program and in our community.

Junior Volunteer of the Year
Presented to a volunteer under age 18 for extraordinary service and dedication to our mission and whose
continuous contributions of time have made an impact on ending hunger in our communities.

Volunteer of the Year
Presented to an individual who has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to volunteerism, has frequently helped at special events and other occasions, and consistently goes above and beyond to help end hunger in our communities.

Full Circle Award
Presented to an individual who is a dedicated and long-standing volunteer, donor, and advocate. They actively, and publicly, advocate for the Food Bank’s mission and for social and political change to help end hunger in our communities.