Community Action Services and Food Bank is dedicated to fostering self -reliance for individuals and families. Involvement and support of amazing and dedicated volunteers is essential to success. Bruce Reed is one of those people.
Bruce is a retired TV executive who’s been volunteering at Community Action Services and Food Bank for the past year and a half.
“I have always wanted to deal with some of the poverty issues we have around here, and it just seemed like a good way to get involved,” he said. “I don’t like the idea of people being hungry in my community.”
The most significant thing he’s learned since volunteering at Community Action Services? “I learned that the need is far greater than I imagined, especially among kids in school. I didn’t realize so many kids were food insecure.”
Bruce and his wife have five children. He has a son and daughter living in Utah Valley, a daughter in Virginia, another daughter in Florida and a son in Costa Rica. He’s spent most of his adult life in Utah Valley and ran KBYU-TV for many years. He then took a job running a TV station in California but didn’t give up his Utah Valley resident status. He commuted to work there for 10 years.
When he retired and came back to the valley full time, he got involved with the Sons of Utah Pioneers in saving the Pioneer Village at North Park in Provo.
“I did that because I thought it was something that was cool and on the verge of not being anymore,” he said.
Once the Village was stable, he was ready to move on to another volunteer opportunity. That’s when he found Community Action Services and Food Bank. He spends six to eight hours per week here, doing whatever we need him to do.
“I work primarily in the food pantry,” he said. “I write letters and do a little communication work, but mostly I work in the food pantry.” He stocks shelves and assists client to shop for their needs.
He said what he likes about Community Action Services is the program focus to solve the problem of poverty rather than just treat the symptoms.
“They have programs that are successful at moving people out of being dependent on getting food every week to being able to live an independent life and get self-respect and do the kinds of things they want,” he said.
If you’re interested in joining Bruce at Community Action, go to https://casfb.wpengine.com/volunteer/ or call us at (801) 373-8200.