Diana Sohnle and Ilona Seibert have been volunteering at the Community FoodBank of New Jersey (CFBNJ) since March 2019, dedicating their Monday mornings to packaging food that nourishes children through the Kids Cafe program. After many years working for large companies, they were both looking for a meaningful way to give back in retirement.
Ilona first visited the FoodBank through a volunteer work event with Prudential, a long-time and generous CFBNJ corporate partner. Later, after receiving a thank you call for a donation, she offered her time as a volunteer. She also introduced Diana to the FoodBank, and they began helping out together.
They initially thought they’d assist with office work. “We were like, ‘We’re really good at Word, Excel, and PowerPoint,’” they recalled. However, at that time there was more of a need in the warehouse. “So, the next thing we knew, we were stacking boxes. And we thought, this is pretty good, too!”
They now serve as valuable extensions of CFBNJ’s team, helping to measure out and assemble frozen and dry foods that are delivered to Kids Cafe sites across the state. For some kids, these meals may be the most nutritious, and sometimes even the only meals they will eat all day. Over the years, they’ve seen how the program has expanded to meet growing demand, especially during and after the pandemic.
“We really feel that no child should go hungry,” Diana said. “And the more we learn, the more we see that it’s just not getting better.”
They’ve also seen the quality of meals improve, with a heightened focus on nutrition and variety. And as they’ve spent more time volunteering, they’ve become more aware of the scale of the problem of food insecurity among children in New Jersey.
“Food insecurity means some kids go to bed without dinner or show up to school hungry,” said Daryl Walker, CFBNJ’s Production Manager, who oversees the volunteers’ hard work in the kitchen. Once food insecure himself, Daryl has turned his past struggles into fuel for change. “More than 270,000 children don’t have enough to eat. When I cook, I’m not just making meals, I also give the kids the ability to live up to their full potential. Dedicated volunteers like Diana and Ilona are critical to this effort, and I love getting to work with them every week.”
Diana and Ilona’s commitment goes beyond weekly volunteering. Both Diana and Ilona are CFBNJ donors and have included the FoodBank in their wills, ensuring their impact will continue for years to come. Their connection to the FoodBank is personal. They both grew up in Irvington, a community where many residents rely on the services that CFBNJ provides. Knowing that their work directly supports their hometown makes it even more meaningful.
What keeps them coming back, they say, is the culture of compassion and shared purpose. After years in high-stress jobs, they have found fulfillment in the simplicity and impact of helping others.
“Every time we leave, we feel rewarded,” they said. “It feels productive, like we’re doing our part”