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<p>Joyce (third from the right) is one of our many volunteers who selflessly give their time to help our organization thrive.</p>
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<p>In celebration of National Volunteer Month, we introduce you to Touch A Heart volunteer Joyce Yoshimoto. Born and raised in Honolulu, Joyce is a wife, mother, and grandmother. She retired from the U.S. Department of the Army as a civilian in budget and resource management, and her last assignment was at a medical clinic at Camp Zama, Japan.
Joyce began ordering Kupuna and Family Meals in 2020 after reading about it in the Crave section of the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. A call for volunteers in this newsletter later prompted her to get more involved.
"Volunteering has been part of my life since retiring," said Joyce, who has also lended her time to the Hawaii Foodbank and Moanalua Elementary School. "I was looking for something new to do so I started helping with the Wednesday food distribution from June to September 2021, until the pandemic put volunteering on pause."
In October 2021, she transitioned to helping with Baker's Heart cookie production, which involves packing, sealing, labeling and boxing. She also carefully trims and notches thousands of bags for our cookies, ensuring they can be purchased and enjoyed by many.
"My favorite thing about volunteering with Touch A Heart is meeting and working with the staff and volunteers," she shared. "Everyone is willing to give their time and effort to doing whatever is asked. Most of the volunteers are seniors who work efficiently to finish the job. It's a fun time with everyone chatting and getting to know each other."
Joyce also encourages others to give back. "Volunteering with Touch A Heart is so fulfilling. The best thing is that you get to meet and become friends with so many caring and fun-loving people," she said.
Fun fact: Joyce raises worms to eat her garbage—a process that produces vermicompost for planting.
Mahalo to Joyce and our entire team of dedicated volunteers for their kind and giving hearts!</p>
Finding Fulfillment
