When Mariam Dhorat was looking for opportunities to volunteer in Cambridge, her aunt suggested she try volunteering at the Cambridge Food Bank.
Three years later, Dhorat said she never would have known what the food bank was about, or its role within the community, if she hadn't become a volunteer.
"I don't think I would've stepped into the food bank, or had the confidence to go into the food bank, if I ever needed it," said Dhorat, who was 14-years-old at the time.
Today, Dhorat volunteers for two hours a week during the school year and in the summer, almost six hours a week. All the hours she does now are on top of all the required hours needed for graduating high school.
“I’d say I like that I can see where everything is going, like in the warehouse, you’re seeing all the food getting sorted out or planned out, but when you’re actually giving people their food, you’re looking at who is receiving it, going over it in their minds, seeing who is making the decisions,” said Dhorat, who went from working in the warehouse to handing out food.
During her time at the food bank, Dhorat has garnered over 150 volunteer hours, which include hours she spent helping out during the pandemic.
"It was very chaotic and there was always a whole line of people," Dhorat said about volunteering during the pandemic.
"We had a lot of new hires, and at one point I was one of the new hires, making hampers for people after hours. At the peak of the pandemic there was also questions about if we would have enough food as there were less donations coming in because everyone was worried. The fridge and freezer was always getting restocked during that time."
Despite the chaos, Dhorat notes everyone at the food bank was helping each other, which was nice to see.
“Going there and actually giving people their food, makes you realize how easy of a process it is, and how simple it is and how no one judges you.”
As one of their youth volunteers, Dhorat said she doesn’t feel looked down upon by others based on her age.
“At the food bank, even if there are people who are older than you, nobody looks down on you or treats you like a kid,” she said. “Everyone treats you like an equal and everyone knows each other, which is nice.”
During the pandemic, the Cambridge Food Bank says Dhorat has been ‘excellent support' for the food bank and staff.
"She has been with us through the pandemic, packing hampers, sorting food and serving participants," said Tara Cooper, volunteer manager at the Cambridge Food Bank. "We are thrilled to have Mariam as part of our team."
“If it wasn’t for Tara responding to my emails, I wouldn’t have started volunteering," said Dhorat, citing other members of the Cambridge Food Bank who have helped her.
“I emailed Tara one day during lunch and I got the application papers filled out, went in on my first day, gave them my papers and I started working in the warehouse."
Besides the Cambridge Food Bank, Dhorat has also volunteered for Toronto Cat Rescue, St. Andrew’s Terrace nursing homes and the Idea Exchange. In total, she has over 280 volunteer hours.
"It opens your eyes up to other people who are living around you and what your community is about," said Dhorat about volunteering. "I would say like, volunteering somewhere in your community makes you more aware and more woke to what's going on around you, rather than just your school, your home and your friends."
Along with gaining perspective on other people's lives, Dhorat said volunteering can also help youth like her make connections.
"If you ever need it, someone can write a good letter of recommendation for you, or someone can be there to talk to you."
Through her volunteer experience, Dhorat realized she has developed an interest in social work and is looking at how she can explore that further in her post-secondary studies.
“I was always thinking I would go into STEM or Business, but volunteering opened up my eyes and my mind, so social work is definitely an option.”
