There’s nothing that can stop Oguz Saltik from doing what he loves to do: volunteer at the Food Bank. Even when he didn’t get a chance to sign up for a shift, he would join a shift unnoticed and help inspect and clean food that would go out to the community. To the staff, he was just another regular and no one questioned him.
For Oguz it wasn’t just another volunteer shift. The Food Bank’s mission hit home.
While living in Turkey as a child, he saw first-hand people who lived below the poverty line and when an earthquake destroyed his home, hunger became personal. His family was forced to live in a tent with limited food that was rationed by the government. It was an experience he would remember forever.
As an adult, while looking for a volunteer opportunity, the idea of volunteering at a Food Bank was second nature.
“When I narrowed it down to what I really wanted to volunteer in, hunger relief was definitely at the top of my list,” Oguz said.
For years he volunteered in product recovery. Nothing could stop him, not the staff, not even living in another city.
Oguz lived and worked in Houston but was taking online classes at Austin Community College. On the weekends he commuted to Austin to take tests on-site. What some would have seen as a hassle, he saw as an opportunity. Unable to volunteer in Houston due to his busy schedule, he made the most out of his trips to Austin by volunteering at the Food Bank on Saturdays.
“I love it, I love how good it makes me feel,” Oguz said. “Seeing that immediate result, knowing that what you did makes a difference… was beautiful.”
His days of sneaking into a volunteer shift and commuting to Austin are now over, but his spirt to serve others remains.
“I wanted to do more, not just come here to the warehouse. I wanted to be the face of the Food Bank and the voice of the Food Bank,” he said. “I can speak well and I’m extroverted, so I said, ‘I might as well put those things to use and get people excited’.”
As of last year, Oguz is in the spotlight during events benefiting the Food Bank. As a Volunteer Ambassador his duty is to spread the Food Bank’s mission and educate the community about hunger in Central Texas and let them know how they can help feed families facing hunger.
The Volunteer Ambassador position opened new experiences for him as he volunteered at events that he would not otherwise attend. He has volunteered at Reggae Fest, Bacon and Beer Festival and was even excited about going to the Oyster Fest, despite disliking seafood.
“It got me out of my comfort zone, that was the most beneficial thing the Central Texas Food Bank has done for me. It pushed me to go these events and meet these people that I otherwise would not have met,” he said. “It was very enlightening.”
Though his job is to spread the word about the Food Bank at events, Oguz doesn’t stop there. At work he has passed out flyers about volunteering and has recruited other Volunteer Ambassadors.
We can’t thank Oguz enough for his passion to serve his community. For his hard work and unmatched dedication he has been selected as the Volunteer of the Quarter. Congratulations Oguz! Thank you for being an amazing volunteer!
