April is National Volunteer Month, so I thought I would devote this blog to three great causes that I am volunteering for in some capacity.
I serve on the Advisory Board of The Children’s Room, an amazing nonprofit that provides support and community to children, teens, and families who are grieving. Whether the loss of a loved one is unexpected or expected, either way it is incredibly tough, especially when friends, colleagues, and strangers might not know how to act around you. Though they may think they are being well-intentioned, many people wind up saying things that are hurtful or saying nothing at all, which can also be painful. Roberta Waters wrote a powerful essay on this very subject recently in the Boston Globe magazine. (Here is an earlier post we wrote on The Children’s Room, in case you are interested)
My mom taught me that one of the best ways to show love is through food, and she’s right! In that spirit, I became a cook for Community Cooks just a few months ago. Currently the organization has over 650 volunteers preparing and delivering meals that serve more than 2,750 people every month.
And just a couple of weeks ago, my mother-in-law encouraged me to do a fundraising bike ride for a nonprofit she volunteers for called Boston Area Gleaners. They deliver high quality, local produce to pantries and meal programs by working closely with local farmers, providing volunteer labor to harvest what would otherwise be plowed under.
I will be riding 25 miles on September 20th. Registration opens in May, if you would like to join me. If you would like to donate to my fundraising goal, please let me know, and I will be in touch with you, once my fundraising page goes live in May. Thanks, in advance, for your support!