Volunteering at GBFB Feeds the Soul

Kathi Maio loves helping people.

She loves it so much that nearly every Tuesday for the past four years she’s taken an hour-long train ride from her home in Malden to volunteer at The Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB) Yawkey Distribution Center.

“I really feel like I’m making a difference for people,” Kathi said. “I’m giving back. You’re trying to feed your soul doing this work.”

Kathi, 66, retired in 2013 after 29 years as a reference librarian at Suffolk University. She had two goals for retirement: to get fit and to become engaged in activities that bring her joy and benefit others.

At GBFB, Kathi works closely with GBFB Production Specialist Kelly Sajous, and she often helps guide volunteer groups in how to sort and package donated food, an assignment she describes as a “workout.”

Last year, 23,500 volunteers donated 58,750 hours at GBFB and sorted 5.7 million pounds of food, the equivalent of 4.9 million healthy meals.

“I love the food bank,” she said. “It’s a lot of fun… [and] a great place to volunteer.”