Remarks to Capital Area Community Food Bank Volunteers

Hey, listen, I'm the one that should be clapping for you all. And I want to thank Barry Scher, the chairman; and Lynn Brantley; and I guess everybody else for the tour of this Capital Area Community Food Bank. It's nice to know that all the broccoli -- [laughter] -- that my wife loves so much found a good home. And I'm told that it was well received.

It's especially fitting that I come over here today, as your President, because this is National Volunteer Week, a time to applaud those who are reaching out to those in need and to resolve to make serving others a part of America's life. I'm here to express my own thanks and the thanks of a grateful community for all that you do to address the problem of hunger in the Washington metropolitan area.

And this Capital Area Community Food Bank is a volunteer-intensive organization. In this room are some of the more than 5,500 people who volunteer to make this initiative work -- distributing a minimum of 500,000 pounds of food per month. And by encouraging individuals, supermarkets, and other bulk suppliers to save their surpluses and by distributing that food to the needy in our community, those of you who are gathered here today are among those Points of Light that shine so brightly all across our country.

For the neighborhood pantries, low-income day-care centers, senior citizen lunch programs, and homeless shelters -- a population served -- this effort makes a difference. It makes a difference in the lives of others. And I hope that every community in the Nation will follow your lead and become, in your words, a community that cares for its own.

Thank you for demonstrating that any definition of a successful life must include serving others. You inspire me, you inspire my wife, and you inspire the country. Thank you very much.