Thirty volunteers on the Do Good Bus were whisked away to an unknown Phoenix-area location Tuesday afternoon to help the less fortunate by organizing clothing at a local non-profit organization that battles hunger.
The Do Good Bus started last year in Los Angeles and has partnered with the indie band, Foster the People, to organize community service events in each stop of the band’s tour, said Rebecca Pontius, co-founder of the Do Good Bus.
“Since (Foster the People) started, they’ve really been wanting to give back, but they didn’t have causes that were super strong for them or they were really passionate about,” Pontius said. “Basically we have three goals with the bus: to create awareness for causes and communities, to create community amongst the people on the bus and to encourage continued support for that cause after we leave.”
The World Hunger Education, Advocacy and Training organization hosted Tuesday’s volunteers at their store near 7th Street and Indian School Road.
WHEAT is an anti-hunger organization, supporting families to become self-sustaining by offering free professional clothing, job training and outreach work for homeless and impoverished individuals, WHEAT Program Coordinator Bernadette Mann said.
“Every day, our main goal is ending hunger,” Mann said. “We think you do that not just by feeding people (but) by helping people help themselves.”
Mann said the bus brings some awareness and volunteers to WHEAT.
“I think it opens the eyes of the volunteers to what we’re doing,” Mann said. “It’s been great for us because we’ve got to meet some new faces and hopefully some of them will come back and volunteer with us in the long-term.”
Social work graduate student Mayra Alvarado said she came with her friend to lend a hand to the community in any way she could.
“I always think if I’m doing well, I can always turn around and see who needs help and give a hand in each possible way I can,” Alvarado said.
Alvarado said she was excited during the bus ride because the volunteers had no idea where they were going.
“As people, we always tend to volunteer at locations we feel comfortable in,” Alvarado said. “I like to try new things and not knowing, (I was) excited to see whom I was going to meet and you never know where it will take you.”
Volunteer Tracy Pellerin said she was excited too and didn’t know what to expect. She said she was willing to go wherever the need for help is.
“Everybody needs a hand up sometimes and the people who ask for the help, it’s good to be able to give them that stepping stone to get up to the next level,” Pellerin said.
Reach the reporter at brennan.j.smith@asu.edu
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