ORLANDO, Fla. — A Central Florida teen is on a mission to make sure people can put food on the table for their families. Cordell Wilson credits his mom for getting him involved, volunteering regularly to pack food at Second Harvest Food Bank for people in need in the community.
What You Need To Know
13-year-old Cordell Wilson enjoys giving back to his community. He credits his mom with getting him involved in helping pack food at Second Harvest Food Bank in Orlando
Managers at Second Harvest Food Bank say having Cordell be part of the regular team is inspiring. They are hopeful that more young people are encouraged to get involved and give back just as Cordell does with his mom
Cordell’s mother started volunteering while she was in college. She encouraged her son to do the same and often ensures that he is able to take part in packing events with Second Harvest
The sound of crinkling plastic as Cordell Wilson checks and sorts items while volunteering is like music to his ears.
He’s been at this a while now eager to volunteer and get involved every chance he gets.
“Fun things I do is I’ll sort through food looking for any type of mold, check for seals in packaging and some things i enjoy is looking for people my own age saying high to the volunteer team and also at the end we get to see how many meals we have packaged safely for the day,” Wilson said.
That meal count at the end of the day being one of the highlights. Cordell says over the year that they have been volunteering he’s learn the importance of giving back and helping out fellow neighbors.
“Be open minded, don’t just think about yourself, think about others…don’t think about how volunteering can benefit you think about others,” Wilson said.
Ian Dixion said, “It is really inspiring to see someone his age take such an interest in the work that we do.”
Ian Dixion is volunteer manager at Second Harvest he enjoys having Cordell get involved and helping out the team.
“Cordell is a great volunteer because he asks great questions. He is always curious and inquisitive when he comes to the food bank. He wants to know more about what he’s doing what we’re doing and how he can make a huge impact,”
An impact that Cordell and his mother hope is everlasting for they both are steadfast in reaching back to help pull others forward.