Thanksgiving 2018: Thank You Volunteers!

Brighter Bites sure knows what people mean when they say “it takes a village.” The success of our program is built on a foundation of families, faculty, and community members coming together to support the health of their communities.

As we approach Thanksgiving and near the end of our fall 2018 season, we’d like to take a moment to call out the incredible volunteer support our program has experienced so far in each of our cities and thank everyone for their inspiring dedication to Brighter Bites. (All statistics below are for the fall 2019 season thus far!)

Houston
– Total number of sites: 45
– Total unique number of volunteers: 776
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 4,212
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: Farias Early Childhood Center, averaging 44 volunteers per week
– Total unique number of external volunteers: 56

Volunteers at McMasters Elementary School in Pasadena (Houston), TX

Dallas
– Total number of sites: 20
– Total unique number of volunteers: 644
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 3,918
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: Thelma Richardson Elementary, averaging 37 parent volunteers each week. Fun fact: These volunteers host a potluck every single week and Thelma Richardson is only in their first year with Brighter Bites! How inspiring is that?!
– Total unique number of external volunteers: 35                                – Outstanding Fall 2018 external volunteer group: Sendero Consulting

Volunteers at Truett Elementary School in Dallas, TX

Austin
– Total number of sites: 10
– Total unique number of volunteers: 416
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 3,074
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: Wooten Elementary, averaging 33 volunteers per week
– Total unique number of external volunteers: 24

Volunteers at Pickle Elementary School in Austin, TX

NYC
– Total number of sites: 3
– Total unique number of volunteers: 196
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 1,958
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: P.S. 212, averaging 71 volunteers per week
– Total unique number of external volunteers: 73                                – Outstanding fall 2018 external volunteer group: Jetblue

Volunteers at P.S. 212 in Jackson Heights, NY (Queens/NYC)

Washington, D.C.
– Total number of sites: 5
– Total unique number of volunteers: 172
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 960
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: So far this season, Beacon Heights Elementary has greatest number of volunteers, with Cool Spring Elementary currently close behind and on track to have the biggest volunteer turnout by the end of their season!                        – Total unique number of external volunteers: 5

Volunteers at Adelphi Elementary School in Adelphi, MD (Washington, D.C. metro area)

Southwest Florida
– Total number of sites: 5
– Total unique number of volunteers: 110
– Estimated total number of volunteer hours: 648
– Site of greatest volunteer engagement: Redlands Christian Migrant Association, averaging 18 volunteers per week
– Outstanding Fall 2018 external volunteer group: Collier County Public Schools

Volunteer at Lake Trafford Elementary School in Immokalee, FL

If you add those numbers up, Brighter Bites has been supported this fall by approximately 2,500 unique volunteers across the country for a total of 14,770 volunteer hours! We are blown away by the dedication of our volunteers and thrilled to witness the communities of health they build every single day.

Want to volunteer at a Brighter Bites school near you? Click here to learn more.