Over stacks of canned corn, Airmen build relationships

  • Published
  • By Shawn J. Jones
  • 514th Air Mobility Wing public affairs
BROWNS MILLS, N.J. --  Thanks to the strong backs and volunteer spirit of five Freedom Wing Airmen, a local church's food pantry was reorganized in less than an hour's time.

Staff Sgt. Raul Rodriguez, a chaplain assistant with the 514th Air Mobility Wing, led the volunteers in helping move and stack hundreds of canned vegetables within the food pantry at St. Ann's Parish in Browns Mills, N.J., Sept. 18.

The storage garage that housed the food pantry was well stocked, but parish's volunteers, most of whom are seniors, hoped to organize the donations into categories.
They welcomed the Airmen's help with the heavy lifting involved with the job.

Rodriguez said the purpose of the event was part of the chapel office's effort to build relationships with residents in the local community.

"It's just the right thing to do," he said. "We're just trying to be good citizen Airmen."

Although all of the volunteers sacrificed some of their time to help, one volunteer in particular put forth an extra effort. Staff Sgt. Ricardo Rivera, 88th Aerial Port Squadron, said it wasn't a difficult decision to put on his Air Force uniform and come all the way from New York City on an off-duty day.

As a police officer serving in New York City, Rivera said he understands the value of performing community outreach events while wearing his police or military uniforms, but that wasn't his only reason for volunteering.

He and Rodriguez are old friends. Before joining the Freedom Wing, they served together for seven years as religious program specialists in the Navy Reserve at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, N.Y.

Rivera said he wanted to help support the event that his friend had organized.

"I have known Raul for over 16 years, and he knows that with my upbringing, I was taught the importance of giving back to the community," Rivera said.

Rodriguez said that he plans to maintain the relationship with the parish by helping them distribute the food to members in the local community.