My Nonprofit Reviews

ThomasVincent
Review for Bread & Roses, Lawrence, MA, USA
I've been a volunteer for 7 years and a member of the board for 3. When I began volunteering I was recently retired and looking for ways to give back to the community. Truthfully, I was a little lost as well. I left my career in sales management and I missed being on a team and the human connections. I've always thought that in a country like ours, no one should go hungry regardless of their personal circumstances. I considered that it was a basic right and one that should be easily achieved based on the excessive amounts of food we see in our daily lives, but I also knew it wasn't. So, I thought it would be good to try and volunteer for a soup kitchen so I could help feed the hungry and be on a team again. A win - win. I simply Googled soup kitchens near me and Bread & Roses came up on the search. I met with the volunteer coordinator at Bread & Roses, got a tour of the building, a better sense of who they were and what they were about. I felt so comfortable there, the people were very caring and the general mood inside the building was genuine warmth. So, I started volunteering 2-3 days per week doing meal prep. I loved working with the other volunteers, staff and management. Having that experience and knowing I was doing something to put warm food on a plate for someone who needs a break and a warm building for them to sit in on a cold day is an amazing feeling. Bread & Roses feeds those in need with dignity and respect, but they also create a welcoming community regardless if you are a guest or volunteer. I've met some really great people over the years and its enriched my life....not to mention Sarah taught me how to make a killer soup out of anything! Every time I walk into Bread & Roses, it just feels special.