Volunteers are the Heart and Engine of Loveland LIFE Food Pantry

The quiet work of caring for a community often happens out of sight. For many residents in the 45140-zip code, the Loveland LIFE Food Pantry is more than a place to receive groceries — it is a source of stability, dignity and hope during difficult times.

Those who struggle financially are not always visible in everyday life. Hardship can be easy to overlook, especially when an organization operates as effectively and seamlessly as the Loveland LIFE Food Pantry. There is an old saying that when someone is good at their job, they make it look easy. That principle is evident every day at the pantry, where hundreds of volunteers work tirelessly to ensure families in need receive support.

Behind the scenes, the operation is powered almost entirely by volunteers. In 2025, more than 400 volunteers contributed their time and energy to the pantry’s mission. The organization employs only two paid staff members — an executive director and a finance coordinator — while leadership is guided by an all-volunteer, seven-member board of trustees.

Keeping the pantry running requires an extraordinary commitment of time and coordination. Daily pantry operations alone demand approximately 260 volunteer hours each week, totaling nearly 14,000 volunteer hours annually, with pantry workers serving in nearly every role imaginable. They stock and operate the pantry grocery store, receive and sort donations, greet clients, assist shoppers, coordinate transportation, and deliver food and supplies to residents unable to travel to the pantry themselves. Their efforts ensure that assistance reaches neighbors with compassion and efficiency.

And pantry volunteer time doesn’t include countless additional hours dedicated to managing donation partnerships, coordinating logistics, client eligibility, organizing food drives and other special events, fundraising, bookkeeping, and volunteer scheduling.

“We couldn’t operate the pantry without the hundreds of volunteers that have walked through our doors to help people in our community. So many strong friendships have formed as a result of their time volunteering here,” stated LIFE Volunteer Coordinator Barb Wagner.

The need within the community is significant. The pantry serves only residents within the 45140-zip code. Of the approximately 22,000 households in the district, more than 800 households received assistance from the pantry last year — roughly 3.8% of all households in the area.

Each month, the LIFE Food Pantry supports roughly 1,000 adults, 600 children and over 500 households. While food remains the cornerstone of the organization’s mission, the pantry provides much more than groceries. Families can also receive household essentials, toiletries, financial assistance, food and supplies for students, as well as transportation and delivery services for those facing mobility or access challenges.

LIFE Food Pantry Executive Director Carol Rountree says they have a volunteer role for everyone. “The pantry is a labor-intensive mission, and we need all the help we can get. Some volunteers work once a month or just occasionally at special events, and some folks are here multiple days each week. We can work with any level of availability,” she continued, “and we appreciate every volunteer.”

The Loveland LIFE Food Pantry represents the best of community service — neighbors helping neighbors through generosity, organization and compassion. Its success isn’t built on a large staff or expansive resources, but on the dedication of volunteers and supporters who quietly work every day to make sure no family in the community faces hardship alone.

Interested in volunteering with the Loveland LIFE Food Pantry? Learn more about volunteer opportunities and scheduling at: https://lifefoodpantry.org/volunteering/