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 way to continue her passion for feeding her community after the small food network she and Linda volunteered with dissolved during the pandemic. When she connected with Tim, our Director of the Food Pantry, she immediately felt at home.
“I love the sense of community here,” TJ says. “Everyone is welcome. Everyone has the same heart of generosity.”
TJ quickly became a beloved fixture at the Food Pantry, greeting neighbors by name as they arrived; a habit she developed during her years as a teacher. “There are so many things in the world I can’t change,” she says. “But here, I can make a small difference. And all of us together make a big one.”
A few years after TJ joined, her mom Linda followed. A watercolor artist and lifelong creative, Linda found purpose and joy in sorting and packing food each week, chatting with guests, and connecting with staff and volunteers. “It’s such an incredible community,” she says. “I love being part of something that makes people feel seen and honored.”
Volunteering together has become a cherished ritual for this mother-daughter duo. For both TJ and Linda, the Food Pantry is a place of connection. And in a world that can sometimes feel divided, they remind us what’s possible when compassion runs in the family.