June Keel is a longtime volunteer at Second Harvest, having started here after retiring from her role as Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources at Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools. She first became familiar with Second Harvest when she saw what we were doing in the schools to help kids in need. She also saw the impact that fresh, healthy food can have on children living in poverty while working in other school systems, specifically Shelby County and earlier in Mississippi.

After retirement, June wanted to stay active and make a difference in her community so she signed up to volunteer at Second Harvest. To her surprise, she was assigned to our Culinary Arts Center (CAC), which she didn’t even know existed. She was ecstatic upon learning more because volunteering in the CAC is a wonderful way to help families in need by doing something she loves – cooking!

June shared that she truly feels like she is part of a family at Second Harvest. She loves the energy and commitment of the CAC team and learns a lot from them. She says they always make the volunteers feel needed and welcomed. She also respects how the CAC doesn’t let food go to waste.

And even though she is now pursuing a weekly position supervising student teachers at Trevecca Nazarene University, she told them that she was not available on Tuesdays no matter what – because those are her days with us at the food bank!

We are so grateful for June and the many volunteers who make our work possible.