For the past two years, Leslie and her husband Bob have supported Food For Free as two extremely dedicated volunteers. They both wear many hats in support of Food For Free and for Volunteer Appreciation Week, we’d love to introduce you to them both. 

Leslie is a ball of sunshine on the Packing and Distribution Floor, welcoming new volunteers with ease and patience. She can typically be found breaking open boxes of lentils before divvying them up into Just Eats boxes at the end of the conveyor belt, or dropping off a Healthy Eats box full of fresh food to an appreciative Cambridge client. She is warm and friendly, and a lovely addition to any shift. 

Although the last two years through the pandemic have certainly proved challenging, Leslie shares that volunteering at Food For Free has made this time rewarding. We certainly feel the same and are grateful you found us, Leslie! 

Read more about Leslie and her experiences through the questions below: 

Tell us about yourself: 

“I grew up in Malverne, a small town located on Long Island, and graduated from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio where I majored in Secondary Social Science Education. Upon

graduation, I moved to Washington D.C. where I worked at a Healthcare Management Consulting firm on a variety of projects primarily in the fields of substance use disorder, HIV/AIDS and the Food Stamps program. 

I moved to Madrid for 1 ½ years and upon returning to the States, I moved back to the DC area where I resumed working with management consulting firms until moving to Sharon, MA where we raised our two sons. 

While in Sharon, I volunteered at my children’s schools and worked part-time at the Eunice Kennedy Shriver Center and Beth Israel Hospital until returning to full-time employment at Brown University. When we retired, we decided to leave the suburbs and move to Cambridge and then to Somerville. In addition to volunteering, I enjoy traveling, bike riding, hiking and skiing.” 

What is your work status? (Student, employed, retired…) and what do you do? 

“I retired 5 years ago after serving as Co-director on a grant for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) designed to train substance use disorders professionals. Previously, I worked on a grant that provided assistance in the development of state HIV/AIDS and substance use disorder training systems to support the needs of treatment program staff and managed a grant designed to train HIV/AIDS outreach workers. I also participated on a contract with the Food and Nutrition Service designed to study alternative systems for the delivery of food stamp program benefits. Conducting site visits to food stamp offices throughout the country provided me with an insight into what food insecurity truly looks like. 

Tell us how you first got involved with Food For Free: 

“My wish to see an end to hunger in this country led me to Food For Free. When we retired, we were looking to learn more about the community, but more importantly, we wanted to learn about volunteer opportunities within Cambridge as volunteering was our goal for retirement. 

We became involved with the Cambridge Volunteer Clearinghouse (CVC) which was a valuable resource for us, as CVC matches volunteers with non-profits and agencies, such as Food For Free. When the pandemic hit, it became more apparent that there was a need for drivers to deliver food since many of the food pantries closed and many recipients were unable to get much needed food. We decided to be those drivers! When the food pantries re-opened, there continued to be a need for food delivery, so we continued to deliver food to our “friends” and bring them the amazing food that Food For Free is able to provide. And, so, we found our niche. 

Over the 2 years that we have been volunteering for Food For Free, we have broadened our participation and now assist in many of the other amazing programs provided to the community by Food For Free. We now pack food for the Healthy Eats program and the weekend backpack program and, with involvement in each, we learn a bit more about the

organization and feel more a part of the amazing “family” that includes Emily, Steph, Damien, Simon and recently Dave and MacKenzie. I have also enjoyed meeting many other dedicated and wonderful volunteers. 

What do you wish other people knew about Food For Free? 

“I am amazed by both the passion of the staff and the volume and array of food that gets distributed to those in need. In addition, I have been impressed by the breadth of the distribution and I wish that when people see the Food For Free trucks,they become curious and want to learn more about the organization (and maybe contribute financially or volunteer themselves). 

I also wish more people learned about the myriad of opportunities for volunteers in the various components of the organization and realized that many of the volunteers, and possibly recipients, include their friends and neighbors. Whether you prefer to deliver food to the very appreciative recipients, pack the boxes of food that get delivered, or participate in the backpack program, you feel an amazing sense of connection and compassion.” 

What advice do you have for people looking to give back to their community? 

“For me, I believe every citizen of this country should have a roof over their head, food for their family, and healthcare. For me, the feeling that I am helping someone in some way is a way of giving back to the community. The thought that any person can go to bed hungry is a commentary on the inequities that we face in this country. 

So, if you feel passionate about something, you need to find an organization and a way to help in whatever capacity that is—it is a win-win. I also would say you learn from every volunteer opportunity. You might discover that not every organization or experience works for you but you need to keep searching for the right match—it’s out there. I would advise that you look for an organization or a volunteer position within an agency that is gratifying and meets your passion, interest and/or skill set—both where you feel you are doing something that is beneficial to the community and satisfying for you. 

You never know where each experience will lead. Volunteering will help you learn more about your community as well as yourself. We learned so much about Cambridge and Somerville through the organizations we became involved with. Most importantly never give up on finding that perfect match—it’s out there!” 

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Leslie is just one of many volunteers committed to Food For Free’s mission of food access for everybody. Join us!