Bill Aver has been volunteering with The Food Bank of Waterloo Region for almost two years now as a driver, as a way to keep busy during retirement and give back to his community.
This year alone, Bill has given over 480 hours of his time, volunteering 3 days per week. Bill drives a Food Bank truck and delivers food to community centres that The Food Bank supports in Waterloo Region. He has built strong relationships with staff and community members at these programs, and we could not have supported the community centres with the change in their servicing model due to COVID-19 without Bill. He continues to dedicate 15 hours per week standing outside, waiting onsite in the heat, rain, and cooler weather.
Volunteering during COVID-19 helped Bill understand the need for food assistance in our community and recognize that hunger can happen to anyone, anywhere at any time.
“I’ve seen a different side of our community, one I’ve never seen before. You read about it [food insecurity] but until you see it, people lined up for food, it doesn’t register. These people are hard workers, just like you and I.”
Bill Aver
Bill has also helped as a Food Bank Brand Ambassador, accepting food and fund donations at community events. When he’s not driving to pick up and deliver food, you can find him spending time with his children, skiing or tinkering with his model trains! Thank you for your dedication, Bill!