By Lori Tessel

I’m a Major Gifts Director here at the Jewish Federation of LA. My department recently went on a staff retreat, which is always an interesting experience. We began the day with a “mandatory volunteer opportunity.”

Mandatory volunteering? That’s an oxymoron. It irks me. You see, I do a lot of volunteering and I work for non-profit. I do these things because I want to make a difference. So forcing me to volunteer goes against every fiber of my being. Needless to say, I started my morning with quite a chip on my shoulder.

My group met at the Los Angeles Regional Food bank. I took a deep breath, relaxed my shoulders, and began to listen. Our guide gave the stats about hunger here in LA as workers and volunteers, who had already been there for hours, sorted food into boxes. The Regional Foodbank’s warehouse is enormous! It’s filled with so many varieties of food and beverage, it’s overwhelming. Which means that the number of people who face hunger every day is overwhelming. It was heartbreaking.

My co-workers and I joined the other volunteers in the mundane task of sorting food. It was an opportunity for us to bond outside the office while doing a mitzvah. Within about 10 minutes, the resentment I felt when I walked into the warehouse melted, and in its place my heart filled with pure joy.

Following the experience, our group reconvened with the rest of the staff to complete the retreat. Many of us were unknowingly smiling. Because we started with this spiritual exercise, we were all more open to sharing and learning. To say I was simply moved by the day is an understatement; I walked out planning a volunteer day for myself, my 8 year old daughter, and family friends.

During these difficult economic times, I recommend volunteering at a food pantry to get a real sense of how many of our neighbors need help, and the impact that food resources have in our community. And if you work for a company that does staff retreats, I strongly suggest beginning with some type of group volunteer activity. I promise you, it will enhance the rest of your meeting and your boss or employees will thank you. And I bet your experience will be far more powerful than you ever expected.