AEO associates share our commitment to doing better, being better and building a better world. We’re proud to spotlight our people who are making a real and lasting impact in their communities.
Meet Catherine, Category Manager – Non-Merchandise Procurement and long-time volunteer with the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank (GPCFB). Passionate about addressing food insecurity, Catherine volunteers her time assisting with food distribution and helping members of the community shop at The Market— a grocery store-style experience providing shelf-stable, meat, dairy, fresh produce and non-food grocery items to neighbors in-need.
Tell us about your volunteer service with GPCFB!
When my PTO days increased due to years of service at AEO, I decided I had enough time to target 25 hours of service with an organization I’m passionate about. And now with the addition of Volunteer Time Off, I try to volunteer around once a month. They have volunteer opportunities nearly every day and it is always a lot of fun!
Why is volunteering with the organization important to you?
Food insecurity is a big problem and GPCFB has been able to help so many people.
How many years have you been volunteering there?
I started volunteering with the Food Bank at their Blues Festival when I moved to Pittsburgh in the 2000s. Since then I have helped with repacking food, neighborhood distributions, in The Market and events like Empty Bowls.
How many years have you regularly volunteered in your community?
I’ve been volunteering since high school for various organizations. Lately I have become involved with HairPeace.org supporting women fighting cancer, and I am super excited to host a Speed Puzzle fundraiser for them on September 14. Check it out here.
How do you think that being an active participant in your community helps to Build a Better World?
Volunteering and events bring people together. Empty Bowls is one of my favorite events– hundreds of people from the community participate and have a humble meal to raise awareness of food scarcity, all while raising money.
What are some of the benefits and learnings you’ve gained from volunteering?
Knowing that I can make someone else’s day a little better is a great benefit. Shopping with someone in The Market helps them have food to eat– but I hope that a friendly smile and conversation also help brighten their day and make a potentially tough time a little bit better.