GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Without fail, you can find Gordon Smith volunteering four days a week at the Meals on Wheels Senior Pantry on the northeast side of Grand Rapids.
Smith, 75, has been donating his time there since November 2018.
"I love it," Smith told FOX 17 News. "We have a lot of clients from all over and being able to engage with them and connect with them, it's been the most rewarding part for me."
Smith chose the pantry since it's close to his home, but the mission of Meals on Wheels is also close to his heart.
"Over the course of a year, we distributed over two million pounds of food at this little pantry," he explained. "It definitely fits a need in the community, and so it's great to be part of that."
Whether it's helping to pick out produce or load up items at the "packing table", Smith's personality and kindness shine.
"He's the kind of person that you chat with, and you might not have known him for very long, but he feels like a friend of a lifetime," said Haley Bean, Meals on Wheels Volunteer Coordinator. "[He really] just continues to go the extra mile, walking all the clients' bags out, getting to chat with them, recommending other resources, and making sure that we're just connecting them and supporting them as much as possible."
Along with volunteering in West Michigan, Smith is also donating his time around the world.
He's completed numerous humanitarian missions with organizations like Global Volunteers and Action Against Hunger.
"I was in Cuba in November, I've been to Tanzania working with malnourished kids. I've been to Ecuador," he said. "I've been to all continents. And I've been to 50, I believe it's 57 countries. The goal is 65. I got a few more to go."
Smith receives no pay for all his hard work but says there is a big return on his investment.
"You know you're filling a need...you're helping the community," he explained. "I will continue to do this as long as I'm able to. I really love it. It's been a great job."
As the FOX 17 and Lake Michigan Credit Union Pay it Forward Person of the Month, Smith receives a $550 prize.
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Meet Katrina Winston, our April 2024 Pay it Forward Person of the Month.
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