Sarah Rayne is a volunteer shopper for Columbia Community Care. She and her son, age 7, collect grocery orders from CCC’s pantry and deliver them to local families who are not able to shop at the pantry for themselves.
If you are interested in volunteering as a shopper, learn more here!
Tell us about your experience as a shopper for CCC families.
Shopping and delivering for CCC is a wonderful, fulfilling experience. The pantry manager, other shoppers, and dispatchers are all very friendly, welcoming, and appreciative of my time. I always feel welcome at the pantry. The process is also very fast and efficient, which I like. If I want to, I can do a grocery run on my lunch break.
Why did you want to volunteer with CCC?
I was looking for a weekend volunteer opportunity for myself and my 7-year-old son. I learned about CCC through my job at the Howard County Association of REALTORS® and decided to try it out. It’s a great opportunity to teach my son about empathy, kindness, and the importance of helping others. It’s also a great way to spend quality time together and create shared memories.
What has been the most rewarding part of the experience?
What’s most rewarding is knowing that I’m providing essential support to individuals who can’t buy their own food, which is a basic human need that everyone should have access to. Whether they are disabled, elderly, or have financial constraints, they’ve asked for help and I’m happy to do my part. There’s little interaction with the people you are serving because you are mostly leaving the groceries on their doorstep, but I don’t mind because I respect their privacy. Although, sometimes people send their teenage kids out to my car to unload the groceries, which is greatly appreciated.
How else are you involved in your community?
I’ve had so many great experiences with CCC. In addition to shopping for them, I donate a large supply of maxi-pads and tampons to them through my annual Birthday Drive for Period Products. Instead of birthday gifts, my friends and family send me period products off my Amazon Wish List and I always split the haul between CCC and the Baltimore City Homelessness Office. We’ve donated thousands of products over the past five years. I’ve also worked with CCC through my company’s nonprofit, HCAR Cares, to donate hundreds of baskets containing everything needed to have a Thanksgiving meal as well as hundreds of ‘Blessing Bags’ containing toiletries and other essentials. CCC is a great organization doing impactful work in our community and it’s an honor to work with them.