WDA Volunteer Opportunities

Here are just a few ways that you can Volunteer in Just Do 2 Opportunities in the Western Dietetic Association District:

1. Help with WDA meetings – organize food pick up, distribute handouts, room set etc…
2. Help organize the Spring Social.
3. Volunteer to help MANNA with their Ingles Giving Tree Promotion.  This year MANNA will be staging a “new” look and “new” food tree at the Asheville Mall food court.  They will not need volunteers at the tree this year, but instead at the local store level.  Volunteers are needed on November 16, 21, 22, 23 and 24 for a 2 hour commitment to provide information to shoppers at their local Ingles store about most suggested food items needed for food donations.  For more information contact Karen Etheredge at MANNA (828-299-3663, orketheredge@secondharvest.org).  
4. Help WDA with their web site.
5. Volunteer to teach a nutrition class at your local school or church.
6. Volunteer for Meals on Wheels, an elderly feeding site or an after school nutrition program.
7. Volunteer at your local soup kitchen or food pantry.
8.  Write a letter or visit your NC representative about nutrition policy issues
9. Represent your district at the annual ADA Public Policy Workshop
10. Volunteer speaking time in your area of expertise or interest
11. Conduct a food drive at a district or state meeting or as a group
12. Represent your district at health fairs
13. Work a fundraising activity for the association
14. Serve on an ADA, NCDA, or district committee
15. Introduce speakers, assist with sessions, work the bookmart or the marketing booth, and/or serve on the planning committee for NCDA’s Annual Meeting
16. Organize a fundraising 5K, or volunteer for an existing race
17. Serve on your local dietetic association board as an officer or committee chair
18. Add your name to ADA’s database for volunteers and leadership by editing your ADA profile page, or by completing ADA’s opportunities to serve survey
19. Organize a district group to volunteer for Meals on Wheels
20. Set up an “Ask the RD” table during National Nutrition Month at the grocery store
21. Serve on your favorite DPG board or committee
22. Serve as an author, content advisor or reviewer for an ADA Position or Practice Paper
23. Organize a mentoring program
24. Organize a district speaker’s bureau
25. Organize a district journal or book club
26. Serve as a district association liaison on a School Health Advisory Council
27. Write articles for the NCDA newsletter or Web site

Here is a letter from Karen with Manna Food Bank asking for volunteers for the Ingle's Giving Tree Promotion. This is a great way to give back to the community to Just Do 2!

Dear MANNA Volunteers,

The holidays are nearing and it's time to begin planning for our seasonal Ingles Giving Tree promotion!  Can you please help? 

This year we will be staging a "new" look and "new" food tree in the Asheville Mall food court.  We will not need volunteer representation at the tree this year as in years past, but instead at the local store level.

Ingles is allowing MANNA to promote "giving" through an in store icon promotion November 16 through November 29th.  Each cashier station will have a placard/ icon encouraging a $1 donation for MANNA during this time.   MANNA will have 2 food barrels in each of the 38 stores during the holiday encouraging food donations as well.

Volunteers are greatly needed to take the promotional information package to the store nearest you in WNC, introduce yourself and MANNA to the front end manager, and then apply the icon information placard to each register stand.  I will be in touch with the stores prior to your arrival to let them know you will be coming.   Set-up time is pending, but we are hoping we can have this completed with volunteer support by Friday, November 14th.

Volunteers are also greatly needed during the promotional time frame (Nov 16-24) for a 2 hour commitment to provide shopper's with a hand-out of most suggested food items, and the icon promotion hand-out as shoppers enter Ingles stores.

Please let me know if there is an Ingles near you where you can:

1) Deliver/ set-up promotional materials, meet front end manager

2) Volunteer for 2 hours during peak shopping times Nov 16, 21, 22, 23, 24.

As always, my BIG THANKS for your ongoing dedicated support of MANNA and to those in need in WNC. 

Kind Regards,  Karen

Find Out More About How WDA Volunteers Helped Feed the Hungry At the Empty Bowls Luncheon

Manna Food Bank Empty Bowls Lunch

By Ruth Collins, Dietetic Intern, Western Carolina University

On Thursday October 16, I participated in the Seventh Annual Empty Bowls Lunch, an event put on by Manna Food Bank to commemorate World Food Day.  I went with my preceptor, Nilofer Couture, RD, and we volunteered three hours of our time for this wonderful cause.  This benefit was held in the conference room at the Double Tree Inn in Asheville, NC.  Pottery crafters from all around Asheville donated samples of their art and a huge variety of small handcrafted bowls that the soup was served in.  Lunches included a selection of soups and bread with drinks all donated by local restaurants.  The guests paid $20 per meal and they could take home one of the small bowls donated for this charity.* A huge turnout of over 600 people attended this event.  Our duties as volunteers included handing out bags containing information about the event to each customer, running the drink table and just helping out where help was needed.  Volunteering with Manna was a great experience with great people.  The warm and giving attitude of everyone involved made for a very positive atmosphere.  Being a member of WDA and NCDA, I was able to go onto the NCDA website and log my hours for the Just Do 2 campaign by following the Just Do 2 link on the NCDA site.  There are definitely more than “just 2” activities that you can do in your community.  Go to the NCDA site and check out the list of activities that qualify as volunteer opportunities for Just Do 2.