PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Lake Erie track & field team spent time volunteering at a food pantry in the local community this spring.

The Storm visited St. John Baptist Church food pantry several times over the course of a two month span visiting and helping out at one of the largest food pantries in northeast Ohio.

"At the food pantry we all were given different jobs that included unloading the food trucks, helping organize food, taking out trash, helping carry people’s bags of food, and helping to sign people in and check ID’s," said sophomore Maggie Waldo. "Volunteering at the food pantry was a filling experience that I was able to complete with my team. It allowed me to open my eyes and expose me to see the struggles within our community. As a student athlete, it helped me to bond with my teammates as well as understand the struggles that many deal with on a daily basis. Personally, it was very impactful seeing how grateful the people from the community were to see us and how impactful our presence was."

In addition to the year round food bank, St. John offers seasonal programs such as Thanksgiving turkey dinners, Christmas food baskets, and holiday meals.