It’s a typical Saturday morning at Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF). Volunteers of all ages, including Rock Hill students from the Black Student Union (BSU), gather in the warehouse, packing boxes of food and essentials for families in need. In the midst of this, the true essence of CHF shines through the individuals who participate in the cause.

Thomas Russell, III, the coordinator of the volunteer program, shares his first experience with CHF while watching the introduction video.

“I brought my family with me—my wife, my two boys, and my mother-in-law—on a Saturday, and it was just a pastor, his wife, and their two kids,” Russell said. “As I was watching the video, I began to tremble and cry. I’ve been in non-profit work since 2018, and we came in 2021. The fact that they do what they do for Christ, I know it’s the only thing that’s really going to last.”

Russell’s path to non-profit work began after witnessing the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.

“I didn’t get into nonprofit work until I was 28,” Russell said. “When I got married, that was the first time that I even felt convicted to do something about something outside of myself. Going to my honeymoon in Cancun with no power and seeing the devastation of a hurricane not only in the States but what happens outside of that gave me a bigger global worldview of what hunger and poverty look like, and I just realized there was something I could do about it.”

As a volunteer coordinator, Russell acknowledges the challenges of prioritizing relationship building over financial considerations.. Despite these challenges,, he believes that fostering strong connections with volunteers is invaluable for the success of the organization.

“The most rewarding part of my experience volunteering here or working here are the relationships that are formed through not only day-to-day contact but through first-time interactions,” Russell said. “The fact that we are able to pour into the lives of our young people, to show them the things that are beyond what they can see, to show and give them experiences that are safe and rewarding, as well as training that they can take and go into other fields.”

As a faith based institution, CHF provides different opportunities for giving back to the community.

“We have three ways that other people can get involved,” Russell said. “They can pray for guidance and leadership on directions, they can advocate for us by getting involved, or they can support us either financially or by volunteering.”

Senior Madison Kendrick, a student volunteer, finds fulfillment in her work with CHF.
” Knowing that I’m making a difference, and helping people in less fortunate situations than me, and also meeting new people and making connections,” Kendrick said.

Her commitment to CHF has fueled her desire to continue serving her community.

“It makes me see the reality of our world, and that everyone needs help,” Kendrick said. “And that’s why it’s important to help our community. My experience helped me grow by knowing that I’m making a difference. Even if it’s small, I know helping people. It has even had me consider doing more for my community in any way I can.”

BSU co-sponsor Latonya Battles worked alongside the students to pack food.

“It’s special to me that my husband works with the school district because that’s the school district that I grew up in, so I get an opportunity to give back to a place that poured into me,” Battles said.

For Battles, volunteering is a family affair.

“The most rewarding part is being able to do it with my family,” Battles said. “We’ve been abundantly blessed, and for them to see what community looks like, what family looks like, what giving back looks like, is a full-circle moment.”

She appreciates the visibility and awareness CHF brings to the community.

“It’s great exposure and advertisement, and it’s important for students and the community to be reminded of their abundance and the importance of giving back.”