There’s something a little different about the day set aside to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It is not noted as a holiday but is instead referred to as a National Day of Service. In a blog post from the Library of Congress, Coretta Scott King, Dr. King’s wife, observed, “The greatest birthday gift my husband could receive is if people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds celebrated the holiday by performing individual acts of kindness through service to others.”

Service is Kindness in Action 

Last year, in honor of this special day, a group of half a dozen Mast General Store headquarters staff began a tradition of volunteering their time as a team in service to others. This year, the group of Mast employees grew to nearly 20.  

The Mast employees spent time at one of the store’s longest-running local partners – the Hunger and Health Coalition (HHC).  

This non-profit is the outgrowth of a simple question asked by a Blowing Rock mother of her two young boys at Christmastime – “What would make Christmas special?” They answered, “A birthday party for Jesus.” They went out and shopped for toys and took them to a local church where they found out that toys were not what they needed – people were coming in hungry. The mother took what she learned, contacted a few friends, and brought canned goods to help out.  

Some 45 years later, the HHC serves 14,000 households or more each year.?The organization offers services including food distribution, meal delivery, a pharmacy, nutritional counseling, pet food vouchers, and even firewood for cooking and heating purposes to residents of Northwestern North Carolina. 

For instance, among many activities Mast Store staff lent a hand with was preparing 70 pantry boxes that provided HHC clients with non-perishable food. Other Mast employees made fresh sandwiches to serve to each member of client families and helped organize and stock a surplus of items donated following Hurricane Helene.   

Large Need for Helping Hands 

HHC Director of Operations Anita Wilson expressed her immense gratitude to those Mast employees who volunteered as well as to residents of the community and far beyond for their support following last year’s devastating storm.  

“We are very fortunate for the response following Helene, but we’ve been so overwhelmed with donations after the storm and throughout the holidays that what you all have done here today has made a tremendous difference. We certainly appreciate everything,” Wilson said to the group of Mast employees at the end of their volunteer shift.  

Altogether for the day, Mast staffers helped HHC provide 80 households in the region with food. On a busy day, however, Wilson said that they can serve as many as 125 households. The message serves as a reminder that for the many local nonprofit organizations operating with small staffs, there is always work to be done, and there is always a need for extra hands. 

Wilson added, “Volunteers can be the difference between life and death for an agency like ours as well as for the people in our community we serve.”   

Another message the Mast Store team left with is that volunteering is fun and rewarding! Everyone felt empowered because they witnessed the difference they were making firsthand. (Read on to hear personal reflections many who volunteered were moved to share to get a sense of how the experience affected us personally!) 

Most of all, there was a mutual sentiment that everyone who took part wanted to do it again and carry on – and expand – the new Day of Service tradition.   

The simple truth is that many of the organizations important to the fabric of our communities could not exist without volunteers. That includes everything from food security organizations like the Hunger & Health Coalition to local and national parks and everything in between. Plus, according to HelpGuide.org (an independent non-profit group providing trustworthy information to improve mental health), volunteering has benefits beyond those recognized by the recipient organization. Volunteering connects you to others, is good for your mind and body, can help advance your career, and brings fun and fulfillment to your life. 

If you need help in finding a place to volunteer, look to what is important to you in your local community – maybe it’s a school where you can help with tutoring, perhaps one of your favorite parks needs help with restoring a trail, or an eldercare facility is looking for someone to come in for music day. Many places need our help. The AmeriCorps website has a listing of opportunities by zip code, so if you don’t know where to start, just go?HERE?for a few ideas. 

Putting Words into Practice 

At Mast, all employees have a single standing directive: “Do your personal best, have fun, and share it!” We “Masties” are proud of this company motto, and we love putting it into practice through our jobs each day.  

One thing we’re not the best at, however, is patting ourselves on the backs and calling attention to good things we do in or outside of the store. We’re happy to talk about our volunteer experience at HHC because we hope it highlights – if only for a single day – the demanding and crucial work the agency does to help our neighbors every day. They are one of dozens of community-based nonprofit organizations Mast General Store has proudly partnered with for decades.  

We also want to encourage other companies to join the movement to honor MLK by participating in the National Day of Service.  

Dr. King stated, “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is ‘What are you doing for others?’” We hope you find your own answer and carry forward in his honor on this National Day of Service and throughout the year. 

Furthermore, if you or someone you know is looking for a job where you can “have fun and share it” on the day-to-day and work alongside positive, supportive people for a community-minded company, we urge you to join us at Mast!  

Mast Store provides each of its employees Paid Volunteer Time to use at nonprofit agencies whenever they choose. While many Mast employees took advantage of this benefit for the Day of Service, many more volunteer in their free time on a regular basis. Mast also offers a Matching Gifts Program for employees’ charitable contributions.  

To borrow an old adage, at Mast, “We practice what we preach.” Sharing this experience with new employees is a joy that keeps us vibrant and refreshed while staying rooted in our traditions and true to ourselves. 

Reflections on Service 

There’s no greater testament to the impact taking part in the Day of Service had on each of us than to hear directly from those who volunteered. Again, we “have fun and share it” at Mast, and helping people and organizations in our community falls into that category! 

Here, in their own words, are reflections some who volunteered at HHC were eager to share: 

“Community outreach is a core value in our Mast General Store work family. The most rewarding part of being president of the Mast Store is the ability to give back and make a difference in the lives of other people. I am so fortunate to work with so many great people and volunteering at Hunger and Health Coalition with some of them was a great way to start the new year.” 
~ Lisa Cooper, Mast General Store President 

“Volunteering at HHC was a humbling experience. I'm grateful to work for a company that encourages giving back, and I feel fortunate to have co-workers who understand the importance of serving others. As Connie and I packed boxes for families to pick up, I felt a mix of gratitude and sadness. I was thankful for the generous people who donate their time and resources, for the food donations themselves, and for the dedicated team that keeps the organization running smoothly. At the same time, I felt a deep sorrow for those in need, which served as a powerful reminder of how blessed I am. It made me realize how easy it is to take things for granted — like grocery shopping or choosing what to eat — when there are people who would be grateful for even those simple opportunities. I plan to return with my family and look forward to additional opportunities to serve.” 
~ Angela Warren, Marketing Director 

“This was my first time volunteering at the Hunger and Health Coalition. The unknown can be a bit intimidating at times, but it was a fantastic experience to work with the folks at the HHC. They have a well-organized system that made it extremely easy to step right in and help with the needs they had for the day of filling food boxes. I was tired at the end of our shift, but it was a satisfying kind of tired and I look forward to going back as often as possible.” 
~ Connie Gioscio, Buyer 

“Being part of the operations at Hunger and Health Coalition, even for just a few hours, creates a sincere impression on me. It’s humbling to witness the need in our community. It’s humbling to work alongside people whose jobs are perhaps the most important jobs on the planet as they feed people, providing a basic human need. It’s humbling to count the many businesses in our community stepping up by donating food, money, and energy to ensure this support system exists. It’s humbling to realize that without the Coalition, volunteers, and businesses’ support, a basic human need would be unmet in our community. I sincerely appreciate our company’s efforts to support the Coalition financially and go the extra mile by engaging through action.” 
~ Ryan Robinson, Corporate Responsibility and Community Partnership Manager 

“For me, it was rewarding to see such an important organization in our community in action and inspiring to see how much hard work goes into feeding and supporting the people of the High Country every day. I loved getting to see our staff diving into the work with passion and purpose!” 
~ Laura Pell, Communications and Events Coordinator 

“I was grateful to get to work in the kitchen preparing meals for pickup. It was fast paced and exciting to make lunches with items that local businesses donated. Lauren, the supervisor, was very friendly and relatable and made the time fly by. I was humbled to see the generosity given behind the scenes to make this facet of Hunger and Health Coalition possible. And Sammy is a great sammie-maker!” 
~ McKenzie Stoddard, Accounting Clerk 

“Volunteering at HHC with a team of my coworkers was an experience that left a lasting impression. We spent our shift working together to support this incredible nonprofit, and it quickly became clear how much teamwork matters in a setting like this. Our main task for the day was to empty big metal storage containers full of donated food, bring it inside, and help sort it out in shelves or storage card boxes. Even though the work was physical, it felt incredibly rewarding to see the food quickly organized and ready to be distributed to those in need.? 

“One of the most powerful aspects of the day was the chance to interact with both the Coalition staff and my coworkers from Mast Store, many of whom I don't often get to see outside of work. It felt like a real community effort — seeing everyone come together and working side by side for a cause bigger than us. There’s a real sense of camaraderie when you’re helping people in need, and I was grateful for the chance to connect with others in such a meaningful way. 

“Another highlight of my day was witnessing the community’s response after Hurricane Helene. The amount of food still in storage from the donations after the storm was overwhelming. It was inspiring to see how people rallied together, giving so generously to help those in need. It reminded me just how much people are willing to give when others are struggling. 

“Helping the community in this way was a humbling experience. It reminded me that small actions, like donating a few hours of your time, can have a big impact. I’m truly grateful to have been part of such an impactful day, and I left feeling more connected to both my coworkers and the people we were helping. Volunteering has a way of showing us just how much we can accomplish when we come together.” 
~ Emi Bicking, Graphic Design Manager 

“Volunteering at Hunger and Health Coalition was one of the most impactful and satisfying events I've done. My group's shift was from 12:30 – 4 p.m., and I thought, ‘Is that really enough time to get something meaningful accomplished?’ Let me tell you...? 

“Six of my friends went out to a metal container packed full with eight tall pallets of canned food where the task was to create a path to the back so they could easily access the different items. Two folks helped unload boxes of beans and then split out to help with other projects. Four of us, including myself, were left to figure out a way to start creating the path through the pallets of stacked, interlocking items.  

“We were convinced it would take many more hours than we had available, but once we cracked our knuckles and set about our work, sure enough, it actually worked out so that we were able to create?safe, interlocking stacks with a path fairly quickly. We teamworked hard enough to come up with some sea shanties about canned peaches and got it done faster than it took to figure out how to do it! 

“I am sore today – and I totally dreamed about stacking pallets last night – but it felt so good to get this physical labor project done to help the regular HHC staff be able to simply do their jobs. I was surprised at how much we could help in this span of time and what an actual impact it could make. 

“I definitely want to say thanks to everyone, and I would love to volunteer again soon!” 
~ Fox Kinsman, Digital Content Specialist 

“The folks at Hunger and Health Coalition made the volunteers feel SO very appreciated!” 
~ Susan Hazlewood, Pricing 

“Being able to volunteer with my coworkers made me feel a closer connection to them and to our community. Mast supports so many wonderful organizations, and I'm grateful to lend my help in some small way. The best days are spent doing good things with good people!” 
~ Jessa Sebastian, Executive Administrative Assistant/Support Facility Training Coordinator 

“The building was filled with people working and community members stopping by to pick up their food supply. I was surprised by how much work and helping hands it takes to get everything done.” 
~ Addison Martin, Advertising Coordinator 

On this MLK National Day of Service, all of us at Mast encourage you to lend a hand at a non-profit organization in your community. As you can see from our impressions, you’re likely to find that the difference you make will literally change lives – including your own. 

Martin Luther King, Jr. Statue Photo: Carol M. Highsmith Archive, Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division