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Gillian

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1 reviews

Review for Curry Without Worry, San Francisco, CA, USA

Rating: 5 stars  

I first learned of Curry Without Worry while living on the streets of San Francisco as part of a street retreat. During my week living on the streets I received meals from a variety of soup kitchens and shelters. None compared with the quality of the love and nourishment which is cooked into every wholesome meal which Curry Without Worry provides every week to hungry souls in San Francisco. In no way did I feel belittled or diminished by asking for food from Curry Without Worry. After I received my plate of warm, vegetarian food I sat with a group under the Simon Bolivar statue at Civic Center plaza. There I felt a part of a community as I ate and talked with others and listened to the sounds of Nepalese drumming and singing. The simple phrase, "Happy Tuesday," being sung with the drum beating was like a sweet mantra. Nothing was asked of me before I was fed, and afterward I felt encouraged to stay and talk for as long as I liked. I appreciated the intermingling of servers and the served. All seemed to sit together and eat afterward: the housed, the homeless, the young, the old. It was nice how few distinctions I felt. After being served by Curry Without Worry I decided to volunteer there as a cook in the kitchen preparing the meals. I felt the same sense of love and community that I felt while being served when I was volunteering. I have so many memories of singing to Bollywood music while we worked, as I learned about frying puri and making the curry dishes. It has been one of the most fun volunteer experiences I have ever taken part in. Volunteers come for as much time as they are able, and there is always a warm welcome for all volunteers for the time they can offer. Every time I volunteer, I go home feeling healthier and happier for having spent the day in that community.

What I've enjoyed the most about my experience with this nonprofit is...

the amount of fun we have while helping others. That may seem contrite, but I think that it shows that the volunteers really have a good time cooking the food. While being respectful in offering food, they also encourage a very friendly atmosphere.

The kinds of staff and volunteers that I met were...

very welcoming to new volunteers. I have met volunteers who come every week and volunteers who can only volunteer once, and both were treated with a tremendous amount of respect and gratitude.

How frequently have you been involved with the organization?

About every week

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

2009

Role:  Volunteer & Volunteer to cook meals and serve food.