Inside the warehouse of the Second Harvest Food Bank the sound of forklifts and the chatter of volunteers fill the air. The mission for the volunteers there is to fight hunger and feed hope. 

For some volunteers, its more than a task, its a calling.

Since 2010, volunteer Greg Shirilla has seen the demand for food assistance grow and he continues giving back every year.
 
"Over the last four to five years, it seems like the need is greater than it was back when I started in 2010.  You don't realize how many people are in need," Shirilla told 21 News. 
 
Retired business owner John Uvena, said he is in his fourth year of volunteering. For him volunteering at the Second Harvest Food Bank gives him a chance to stay engaged and contribute in a way that matters. 
 
"It's a wonderful feeling, because when I first started, the need was not as much as it is right now," Uvena said. 
 
In 2023 Second Harvest food bank distributed more than 10.5 million pounds of food. Behind that large number are the volunteers who step up to get the food out. 
 
Steve Korchnak of Columbiana rejoined the team this year to pay it forward. 
 
"[Volunteering is] sort of a way of giving back a little bit. The community has been really good to me," Korchnak  said.