The words “Sailors” and “service” go hand-in-hand. Many Sailors around the globe protect and serve our country by defending it from its foreign enemies, but back home, serving can mean something entirely different.

Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) did just that by serving as volunteers for the Virginia Peninsula Foodbank Mobile Food Pantry Program.

The event ran from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., March 12, with volunteers unpacking, bagging, and distributing food items to low-income families and in-need individuals.

Operations Specialist 2nd Class Nicolas Garcia, from West Springfield, Massachusetts, and the leading petty officer of George Washington’s morale, welfare and recreation (MWR) team, said that Sailors need to get involved in the community and help give back to those less fortunate.

“After today's event, I felt that we as volunteers really made a difference by helping those that really need assistance,” said Garcia. “It's a great feeling when you know you've made a difference.”

According to Maria Quigley, the volunteer coordinator for Virginia Peninsula Foodbank, events such as these can be a large undertaking, making volunteers an essential part of the process. Quigley said that efforts are made to sort food as much as possible prior to an event, but certain items make advanced preparation impractical.

“Sometimes you have something like onions or potatoes which we can’t really separate out in advance because, if they sit too long, they get moldy,” said Quigley. “You need to have people on site who can bag items as needed.”

As one of seven foodbanks in the state of Virginia, Virginia Peninsula Foodbank has partnered with nearly 160 agencies to provide meals for those in need and is supported heavily by the commitment of those who volunteer their time, Sailors included.

“We as Sailors join the Navy as volunteers,” said Garcia. “Going out into the community and just giving an extra hand makes a huge impact, not only on those we help, but on us as well.”

Garcia said that one of the most enjoyable parts of the event was being able to interact directly with the people in need.

“My favorite part was helping one of the elderly ladies back to her apartment with her food,” said Garcia. “It was pretty awesome being able to interact with someone that I've never even spoken to before. It felt like I’d known her for years, and I'm sure it brought joy to her day, as well as mine.”

Sailors worked hard throughout the morning and successfully provided food for about 100 members of the Hampton Roads community, something that Quigley said was deeply appreciated.

“They really stepped up,” said Quigley. “They made sure that people in need, including those who are homebound, were provided the meals that they needed.”

There are always community relation events scheduled, each one presenting Sailors with an opportunity to get out into the neighbor and provide some much-needed generosity.

“It was a great experience, and I really cannot wait for the next opportunity to arise,” said Garcia.

For more information on volunteer opportunities, visit the George Washington Command Religious Ministries Department (CRMD) page at https://portal.cvn.navy.mil/sites/CVN73/SitePages/CRMD.aspx, or call the CRMD office at (757) 534-0269.

Join the conversation with GW online at www.facebook.com/USSGW and www.twitter.com/GW_CVN73. For more news from USS George Washington, visit www. Navy.mil/local/cvn73/.

Get more information about the Navy from US Navy facebook or twitter.

For more news from USS George Washington (CVN 73), visit www.navy.mil/.