Volunteers of the Week

Food on Foot means a lot to me. It's really rewarding, but the best part about going to Venice is looking at these people and for them, to say "thank you",
that brings a smile to my face.

I enjoy feeding them, taking them clothes, looking at that family that goes every week to be feed. Those kids are wonderful! The best experiences I have had with Food on Foot have been on the Thanksgiving and Christmas day feedings.

Thanks, Claudia

To me, Food on Foot means a time for me to be selfless and give back to the community. What I like most about Food on Foot is the camaraderie between volunteers, and being able to see some of the homeless on a regular basis through their ups and downs.


I learned at the very first feeding that I attended that there is a VERY FINE line between those that I serve and myself. I think that being a part of FOF has made me even more aware and appreciative for what I have and what I try not to take for granted.

Erica

Volunteering with Food on Foot allows me to feel like I am making a contribution to the community instead of always taking. I have been blessed with so much; a strong family, good friends, the benefit of an education, etc. So it is important to remember there are those who are less fortunate than I.  It is easy to get caught up in the rat-race of daily life in L.A. and Food on Foot is my "reality check".  I really like that the clients have job opportunities through Food on Foot and they know they can count on at least one hot meal a week.

Nicole Davis

Food on Foot means to me having the opportunity to
share and contribute to a very worthwhile organization
at a grass roots level. Always coming away from the
experience with so much more then I could ever
contribute. The greatest thing about FOF is that you
see the immediate results of whatever contributions
you make. Not only are the clothes immediately put to
use, the food consumed and the contributions put to
direct use but you experience the smiles and gratitude
of the recipients as well as the volunteers. Its so
much more then just making a cash contributions to a
large charitable organization. You see results.


Every feeding is a memorable experience. That experience is being in awe of the dedication of the leadership of FOF. Seeing the organization, amount
of time put into event, and consistent level of effort
week in and week out rain or shine. God Bless FOF.

Thanks a lot.

Gary

Food on Foot is an opportunity to remember to be grateful for all the wonderful things in my life, that I so often take for granted. It feels good to be among people who know that all people, no matter what their circumstances deserve to be treated with love and respect. I enjoy exchanging greetings and joking around with clients as they pass through the line.

Julie

Food On Foot has come to mean a lot to me. I can't think of anything more
important than taking an hour out of my Sunday to help another in need. I
think what I like most about FOF is the feeling I get when I leave. That I,
one person, actually DID make some difference in someone's life. A MEMORABLE
experience I have had is a day that I was passing out the lollipops. To hear
some of these people's stories and their hardships, it touched me in words
that I cannot express. Let's just say that these days I take a lot less things
for granted.

For one short hour a week I feel a part of a community in a city which doesn't brag that very often.  Every one there, volunteers, workers and people needing food,  all of them create an hour which leaves me feeling stronger happier and inspired.  Just last week a father, who I see each week come with his family, but for some reason last week he picked one of us to come up to and quietly say a prayer of thanks for all we are doing.  I was stunned and embarrassed and tried to articulate to him the reciprocal thanks, for all that he and his family and all the others in that line do for me each week.   I do nothing... just selfishly show up for one short hour a week, have a fantastic time, and leave feeling wonderful.  It is a scary world, can be very isolating and challenging, I have been in L.A. for a year and a half now, and have had a hard time, still haven't found a job, have struggled finding people I feel connected to, and I know there is not that much between me handing out in the line and me being handed in the line. really the only difference is luck, timing, and support from family. Food on foot is remarkable; giving a sense of family and continuum to those who aren't as lucky.

I never would have thought that lending a hand to the  less fortunate could be so easy and take only one hour a week. There is nothing more rewarding than the smiles and thank yous from the people that come through the line.  Seeing and talking to same people every week, taking an interest in their lives, letting them know that people do care brings me a joy that is difficult to put in to words.  Food on Foot is more to me than a volunteer activity I do on the weekend.  For me, it means leaving the stresses and non-stresses of my everyday stuff and joining a community of  volunteers, workers and people  in need with the common goal to make this world a better place. I am grateful to Food on Foot for not only helping the people it was designed to serve, but also for helping me to become a better human being.


I especially love that it started out of one man's car and continued to grow.  Rain or shine, Food on Foot has never let these people down. I love being a   part of this organization that is truly from the heart. My favorite activity that Food on Foot sponsors is on Christmas Eve when, at midnight, volunteers  walk the streets of Hollywood to ensure that all the people they meet know that they are not alone. That is one of the most beautiful embodiments of the spirit of Christmas that I have ever heard.

-Ale

I love helping people and Food on Foot allows us the ability to help those people less fortunate than us. I also bring my kids often and it provides an opportunity to show them that life is not that easy and gives them the experience of giving.

What I like most about Food on Foot is Sister Alice Marie and her pragmatic charm! She truly is a living saint!

An experience I remember is the first time Ronnie joined us for the 'feeding' and his subsequent rendition of the Lord's prayer. He shows us that the Hollywood group is truly blessed. In addition, I recall seeing Susan each and every week showing her dedication of the cause and her patience.

-Barry & Birdie Peters

Barry Peters is on the Food on Foot Board of Directors

What Food on Foot means to me is being able to help people who don't have as much as
we do, and giving them a little extra comfort in their lives.

What I like most about the organization is meeting and greeting the people. I am
often asked if I am a real nun. The answer Is, “Yes I am”!

Over the past 7 years at the feedings, I've been able to watch the children grow, as well as notice changes in the elderly. It's so nice to see how grateful the people are to receive the meals and clothing. They are such pleasant and kind individuals.

-Sister Marie Quinn

<span class=small>
Sister Marie Quinn is from Chicago, Illinois. She is the Executive Director of St.
Vincent's Meals on Wheels, board member of Food on Foot, and she has been with
the Daughters of Charity for 49 years. She loves to bike and is currently taking tap dance lessons.
</span>

I feel lucky to be involved in something that I believe is bigger than the
greater whole.
 Generally I think I can get so involved in the day to day personal worries
of my own life, that I forget  to look outside of myself and see that we are
all in this together, and that by reaching out to others, I am in someway
connecting again to the part of me that knows there is no line that separates
us from each other.

All of a sudden by spending an hour on the weekend, just passing out food, I
come out of it somehow feeling that by participating in the feeding, I was
the one that was fed.

-Rachel

The homeless and hungry are as much a part of the community as anyone else, and Food on Foot is an opportunity for me to know them and help them. Food on Foot is a great volunteer experience because while there is little commitment, I WANT to keep coming back. The kids always amaze me because most of them are so much more polite than I was as a kid. It goes to show that some of the people we feed every week are excellent parents and excellent people.

I moved to LA last summer from the DC area and I didn't know anyone really. Food on Foot was one of the first things I got involved with and there are few places I feel more welcome.

Cheers, John

I first joined Food on Foot several years ago. I was immediately
attracted to the organization because it was one of the few that
guaranteed that 100% of the donations went directly to helping
the hungry people. Food on Foot provided a constant in my life for a
couple of years that I badly needed. I grew familiar with the other
regular volunteers and with the people in line. I looked forward to
seeing the regulars in line and hearing what was going on in their
lives. They always asked about my love life, job search, etc. too.

The greatest thing about food on foot is the dedication so obvious in
the regular FOF workers, and the consistency of the program
which makes everyone feel a little safer and more hopeful.

- Allison

Food on Foot gives us the opportunity to give help and assistance to people who need it. Also, we are able to work directly with those that we are helping. These things give us great satisfaction.

What I like most about Food on Foot is working directly with those you are helping. That is much more rewarding than just writing a check.

There is a woman in Venice who has been coming every week for years who has numerous cats. My wife has befriended her and now brings cat food for her cats. Also in Hollywood, there is a man who I think is now 106, who comes every week, and has more stories than he could tell in another 106 years.
-Dick Goldstein

Food on Foot gives us the opportunity to reach out to those who are less fortunate as they struggle to overcome their daily challenges.


Christmas Day 2002 was the first feeding we attended and have been coming back each month. We truly enjoy the feeling of hope and empowerment we can provide as volunteers in Food on Foot. At the Christmas Day feeding, we assisted people in finding clothes for themselves and their family members. We were moved by their joy in finding these clothes that would help them stay warm and protected. The smiles and appreciation shown by the recipients keep us coming back and lets us know that Food on Foot is making a difference in their lives.

- Janet & Scott

Food on Foot represents a great opportunity to give back to the community, both financially and via direct participation. The time and money donated by its volunteers is immediately reflected in the faces of those it benefits.

I originally signed up at the behest of my girl friend, Nicole Davis.
I often talked about giving back to the community, but rarely did so other than the occasional donation. On my first day, i couldn't help but notice the eye contact I was making with the clients. Like many others, I am guilty of turning away from homeless people on the street. FOF gives me an opportunity to stop turning a blind eye to the problems of hunger and homelessness.
-John

What I like most about FOF is that it gives me the chance to come in contact with people and do something immediate for them.  It seems like such a small thing to hand out water, fruit, chicken or any of the items provided for them, but to the people receiving these items it really means a lot.  To get a smile or quiet thank you makes me feel like I'm doing something positive. -Kathy

Food on Foot is a way of giving something back when my life is so blessed. What I like most is that it seems to hit closer to home unlike a lot of the big charities. -Michelle

Food on Foot means the opportunity to think outside of myself and serve others, to give back the blessings that I have received to those who need and deserve them as well.

I enjoy giving to the children, getting to know the stories behind the faces and meeting all the great volunteers who are just there to be of service.

Food on Foot to me means an opportunity to witness God's spirit in action. Food on Foot allows me to share in the various life experiences and character of those being served and of those serving.

My favorite FOF experience was the first day my wife, our son and I volunteered. It was the Thanksgiving after September 11th. Although the volunteers outnumbered those being served, it was truly moving to see the number of people in need and their appreciation to those who serve.

I discovered Food On Foot by accident, literally. After surviving an auto accident I realized I wanted to do something for others. That was four years ago.
When I tell people about Food On Food I get two reactions. The first reaction is "Why don't they get a job" and the second reaction is that of compassion.
It's my opinion that being homeless is deeper then obtaining a job. We feed poor families with children, teenage prostitutes, drug users, disable and others. But what I find are people who have been let down along the way.


Two years ago I extended my home to a young homeless man from the feeding. This opportunity opened my eyes and heart to the other side that few see.
The bottom line for me is, nobody as a child says "When I grow up, I want to be homeless".
<Br>
-Dina

Food on Foot personalizes the chance to help others. Seeing the people being fed, especially those who come each week, and hearing their "thank you's" puts voices and faces on the people who need help. It makes the helping more meaningful.

At the first feeding we attended, a mother with two young children came through the line. The mother was irritable and the children were scared and confused. When one of the children started to eat, the mother yelled at him to stop, then told him to go ahead since he had already started. The child was clearly hungry, but too upset to eat. They went off to wherever they lived and whatever hardships were causing them to act the way they did. We were touched by the family's unhappiness. We have no idea what their story was, and we never saw them again. They made a lasting impression on us of how much help so many people need.

Chryl started helping feed the homeless when we lived in Seattle. When we returned to Southern California, we found Jay and Food On Foot.

We need to give back for all the blessings that God has given us. We use our individual talents to do what we can. There are so many hardships in life for the ones that aren't as fortunate as we, and being able to help reminds us of that. Jay has done a terrific job with meager resources and we encourage everyone to support FOF where they can. There are lots of ways to help: spend time feeding, collecting goods, making phone calls, setting up interviews, etc.

FOF is a great program, it lets volunteers experience the joy and gratitude of the people being helped.
The thing I like most about FOF is that you let the people being helped keep their dignity.

I started helping with FOF on Thanksgiving 2002. It was a great experience to be able to talk to some of the people in line. Sometimes a smile is all that you need to give someone to make their day better.

Chinh

"People seldom refuse help, if one offers it in the right way." -A. C. Benson

Food on Food means the opportunity to be a part of something very, very big in importance, yet small in terms of scale. It makes it possible to feel a part of something important right from the start. It's a way of showing support for the fact that one person can, indeed, change the world for a lot of people. And I am very proud to be able to help make that happen, if even in only a little way.

I enjoy getting to meet our clients in a personal way; learn their names; look them in the eye with respect, like any human being deserves; as opposed to putting a dollar in someone's paper cup on the street and never even really looking at them.

-Bettina

Food on Foot is part of my commitment to give back to the world for all the good things I have received. It's not only being able to help provide a meal to someone who might not have it, but also to share a smile or a handshake to wish them a good day. The interaction I get to have with people that I might not have an opportunity to say hello to -- is invaluable to me.

I've always been lucky to have my family as my personal cheering section, but not everyone has that so as a person who moved from the other coast by herself, I try to turn around and give it to others.
Most of all, I love talking to the children and trying to reinforce their ability to succeed in life!

- Jennifer

This man is "pops" our oldest regular each week, he is 94 years old and walks for hours each Sunday to receive his meal. He is one the reasons we all keep coming back each week.