Volunteer Highlight: Rohit Ramaswamy

When did you start volunteering with PORCH and how did you hear about us?

I have volunteered off and on over the past 5 years. I used to volunteer occasionally at the location near the Whole Foods sorting the donated food. Since I retired I have been able to volunteer regularly when I am in town, at least 2 times per week. I have been trying to experience all parts of the collection, distribution and delivery system, volunteering in food recovery, market prep, as a market floater and in backroom/storage operations. I am trying to learn as much as possible about different organizations that do similar work in Orange County, the US and abroad by volunteering wherever I travel – I recently volunteered with a food bank in Tokyo and with a food preparation and distribution organization in Paris. My wife and I are about to do a 4-week tour of Eastern Canada, volunteering in various provinces. I hope that these experiences will not only help me be a better volunteer but also help me think about how we can improve and strengthen food security in our communities.

What is your favorite part about volunteering with PORCH?

It is the contact with the community and understanding the human face of food insecurity. As a public health professor, I worked largely at the government/systems level and while that was rewarding, I never got to be close to where service was provided and it is very satisfying to be able to directly observe the results of your efforts.

Is there a role at PORCH that you’re an absolute pro at?

I try not to be – I want to be available where there is the most need and I enjoy very much not being the “expert.” Academia forces you into expert roles and just being part of a team and following directions is a refreshing change.

How does volunteering in general fit into your life—is it something you do for fun, to build skills, to meet new people, etc?

After retirement, I am trying to be intentional about how to spend my “free” time rather than just let days slip away. Without being too rigid, I try to make sure that I plan time for physical health, relaxation, social connections and service. Volunteering encompasses all of these and therefore forms an important part of my week. I try to plan up to 10 hours per week wherever I am, and because food insecurity is a global issue, there is need for volunteers wherever I go even when I travel. And I have tried to build that into my life. Through my life and career I have been fortunate enough to be among the privileged. As the Harvard professor Micheal Sandel has demonstrated, this has less to do with intrinsic merit and more to do with accident of birth. So now that I have the time and resources, it is only natural that I try to do what I can to be of service to those who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in difficult circumstances.