Posted on November 21, 2025
An updated volunteer model provides a shared experience for people with IDD and corporate volunteers.
A group of people supported from Penn-Mar, DSPs, and Kelly Benefits employees pose together at First Fruits Farm.
On a gorgeous fall day, corporate volunteers from Kelly Benefits in Sparks, MD joined a group of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who Penn-Mar supports for a gratifying experience at First Fruits Farm readying potatoes for shipment to those in need.
People supported by Penn-Mar have been volunteering at the 280-acre property every week from June through November. Interns from Kelly Benefits have also volunteered at the farm in the past, but this was the first time that employees from Kelly Benefits have participated in a volunteer event on the farm with Penn-Mar.
Ben Mortenson, Volunteer Engagement Manager at First Fruits, along with his wife Carissa, Director of Programming, were both delighted to have their daughter, Morgan, a participant at Penn-Mar Central’s Day Program, included in the group.
“Everyone had a blast, and it was a gift to watch the Kelly Benefits and Penn-Mar volunteers’ team up with our staff,” Ben said. “There were lots of smiles and great energy in the way everyone worked together. Whatever the task, they were ready with open hearts to get the job done.”
Ben and Carissa Mortenson stand beside their daughter, Morgan, at the farm.
Ben started the day by educating the group about the farm’s mission to provide fresh, nutritious food for the hungry through volunteer service and community partnerships.
Founded in 1998, First Fruits has harvested and distributed 31 million pounds of its fresh produce – the equivalent of 124 million servings – to food banks, shelters, schools, churches, and other organizations throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Ben credits the farm’s success to the generosity of its 300-plus partners, many benefactors, and over 20,000 volunteers who help keep operations running and its mission sustainable.
The Penn-Mar group of 30 volunteers contributed to this mission by spending the morning transferring potatoes stored in large bins to smaller boxes where they were then loaded onto pallets for distribution to nonprofits in Tennessee and Kentucky.
All of this took place in a covered open-air barn structure where the people Penn-Mar supports worked side-by-side with Kelly Benefits volunteers. “Everybody was in great spirits and ready to work,” said Tina Chan Sweenie, Associate Director of Development and Penn-Mar’s corporate volunteer leader. “The smiles and laughter were infectious, and all the volunteers had the opportunity to learn about each other while working together which is really the most important part of our program.”
Since the inception of a formal volunteer program in 2022, Penn-Mar has not had a
traditional volunteer program with fixed weekly or monthly events. Most volunteer opportunities are based on the wants and needs of people supported. Corporate groups, like Kelly Benefits, would have only helped with projects involving landscaping and beautification in the past. However, Tina has learned that the most important parts of a volunteer event are the interactions between corporate volunteers and those we support.
Kelly Benefits employees and people supported by Penn-Mar worked side-by-side as they sorted potatoes into huge bins.
“We were looking to develop a shared experience between the people we support and our corporate volunteers,” Tina said. “The First Fruits Farm outing with Kelly Benefits was a creative solution for combining the two groups. We just loved the Kelly team. They were 100% on board for working at the farm and were eager to secure their next opportunity.”
Kelly Benefits volunteers were grateful for the opportunity to enhance Penn-Mar’s mission by working alongside the people the organization supports. Several employees from Kelly were in attendance at the farm, and everyone had positive feedback about the experience.
“At Kelly Benefits, we believe service is at the heart of strong communities,” David Kelly, President, Kelly Benefits Payroll said. “Partnering with Penn-Mar at First Fruits was a meaningful way for our team to live out that value — working alongside the people Penn-Mar supports to help feed those in need reminded us that when we serve together, we reflect the love and compassion that make our communities stronger.”
It was clear that people supported by Penn-Mar were also grateful for the opportunity to give back to their community and socialize with corporate volunteers. One person in particular impressed the group with his intense determination to expertly follow every step of the process. “He held his focus for the longest time his support team had ever seen,” Tina said.
More opportunities like volunteering at First Fruits Farm will be available to all businesses and corporate groups wishing to support Penn-Mar’s mission while giving back to the community.
“This is a ‘win-win’ opportunity,” Tina said. “The farm needs manpower for harvesting, packaging, and distribution, and it’s a great way for Penn-Mar to engage with our corporate supporters.”