Volunteer

When TJ first spotted the Friends In Deed sign on Washington Boulevard nearly five years ago, she didn’t know it would lead to such a meaningful part of her life, and eventually, to something she could share with her mom, Linda. TJ, a counselor and longtime advocate for food rescue, had been looking for a […]

For many, volunteering at the Food Pantry is more than just lending a hand—it’s about connection, community, and purpose. That’s exactly what one dedicated volunteer discovered when life took her in a new direction. After faithfully serving at the Food Pantry for some time, she landed a job as a physical therapist at a nearby

When Mary moved to the United States in June 2023, she thought she was finally ready for a break. After 35 years of hard work, she’d earned a little rest. But after a few weeks of downtime, something stirred in her. She missed being active. She missed helping people. So, she started reaching out to

Upon retiring ten years ago, Dena was looking for a way to give back when she discovered Friends In Deed. After reaching out to several local organizations, it was Tim, the Director of the Food Pantry, who responded first. “Come on in!” he said. From the moment she stepped through the doors, Dena felt at

Lily is one of our Master of Social Work (MSW) interns at Friends In Deed. The internship program is proving to be a very positive experience for everyone involved – Friends In Deed and our clients benefit greatly from the extra skilled help in our programs, and our interns get valuable experience in the field.

Mishele had just moved to Pasadena and was looking for a way to connect with the community. She heard about Friends In Deed, looked us up online, read about The Women’s Room, and got in touch. She has been involved in making lunch for The Women’s Room on a monthly basis ever since! As a

Annie has a deep connection to the work we do on both a personal and a professional level – she is studying for a masters degree in social work, but also researches nonprofit organizations for her employer, a local philanthropist. When she first visited us, Annie says that she “fell in love” with Friends In

By profession, Kanchi is a screenwriter with film production and set skills, but she lost her work during the writers’ strike and that, plus going through a divorce, put her at risk of homelessness. Fortunately her life is now reasonably stable, but this experience has left her with a profound connection to the guests we

John has a long and distinguished history as a Friends In Deed volunteer. He started helping out as a grant writer in 2009, but soon found a more permanent home in our Food Pantry. For a while, when he was between jobs, he was volunteering full time! These days, he carves out time for us

Liz is not typical of the volunteers we feature in this newsletter. For one thing, she has never actually volunteered at Friends In Deed! In fact, she works at Union Station Homeless Services, and is married to Friends In Deed staffer William Shelby – so she is practically one of the family. But back when