A Professional Volunteer

Dyane Amos has volunteered in the Food & Friends kitchen every Tuesday morning for nearly 3 years. When needed, she arrives early and stays late to make sure all the meals are prepared and packaged for our clients living with HIV/AIDS, cancer and other life-challenging illnesses. She works meticulously to ensure special diets are followed and that the meals are prepared with a watchful eye for consistency and quality.

Volunteer Dyane Amos (left) has volunteered in
the Food & Friends kitchen for almost 3 years.



Her knowledge of the kitchen is a tremendous asset to our chefs and kitchen staff, and her enthusiasm for volunteering and working with school groups is a huge help to the volunteer services staff. Dyane leaves Food & Friends the same way she comes in each day- with a big smile and a kind word for everyone she passes on her way.

The thousands of meals Dyane helps prepare are delivered by to men, women and children living with life-challenging illnesses all over the Washington, DC metro area. Many individuals served by Food & Friends live below the poverty line and could not otherwise afford nutritious meals for themselves and their families while undergoing treatments. Other clients are too weak from their illnesses and treatments to prepare meals at home. Volunteers such as Dyane make it possible for meals to be delivered to families daily at no cost to them.

Dyane's dedication is nothing short of extraordinary. She is at Food & Friends every Tuesday without fail. Her mother and children know not to even try calling her on Tuesday mornings. When friends ask her to join them on a Tuesday morning, she simply says, "It's Tuesday - I have somewhere I need to be." And our clients need her to be here too. Thanks Dyane!

Friends Helping Friends: Friends spend quality time together through volunteerism

Sheela Nayak and Beth Clark have found that volunteering together at Food & Friends is a wonderful way to form a deeper bond while making new friends. They began volunteering together in 2003 after Beth retired from her job and was looking for service activities during the week. Sheela had already been delivering meals at Food & Friends for the past two years so she asked Beth to join her on her route. They have been delivering ever since.

“Sharing the experience makes volunteering a lot more fun, and there is an energy that is absent when you work alone,” says Beth. “And, after the activity is over, you have shared memories, which make friendships stronger.”

Sheela echoes that sentiment, “Now, we can discuss other ideas –issues in life. There are no words to describe the togetherness.”

Their shared values on service and community have enhanced their volunteer experience and have strengthened their friendship. Neither of them realized how similar they were until they had this opportunity to spend time together.

“Prior to volunteering together, we were casual friends … but we never had the opportunity to really talk and get to know each other,” says Beth. “Our friendship really took off because of our shared interest in service.”

Beth’s favorite volunteer memory is when one of their clients gave them each a small gift after they dropped off his meals.

“After we left, I remember Sheela saying that this was obviously so important to him and commented on how happy he seemed to be able to give us a token of thanks,” says Beth. “I wonder to myself if I could be as gracious if I was in their place. I know I have learned a lot about looking on the bright side from our clients.”

Delivering meals has not only changed their friendship but gave them the opportunity to learn about the clients on a new level. “I have been a volunteer for many years, there is something about our clients that is very special – despite the hardships they are facing, they always greet us with a smile and a kind word…” says Beth.

Both Sheela and Beth are thankful for their experience with Food & Friends and enthusiastically recommend volunteering. “Volunteering for Food & Friends makes people feel like someone cares,” says Sheela. Beth responds, “I have always looked to volunteer where the need is greatest, and hope that by doing my small part, I might leave myself and the world just a little better.”

Looking for ways to get involved with friends? Consider adopting a delivery route. It is fun, easy to do and can fit into your schedule. Visit www.foodandfriends.org or contact Don Pitz for more information.

A Chat with Our Friend, Councilmember Muriel Bowser

Sunday, August 5th is National Friendship Day and there is no better friend to the community than District of Columbia Councilmember Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4). Councilmember Bowser is not a remote presence in the Wilson Building but is involved constantly in the life and needs of her constituents –her neighbors. She is also a solid friend of Food & Friends and is a regular Thanksgiving volunteer. Ward 4 is just across the street from our building and Food & Friends is proud to serve Ms. Bowser’s ward and every ward in the District of Columbia.

We asked Councilmember Bowser to share with us her views on this neighborhood, her work and her commitment to Food & Friends.

Councilmember Muriel Bowser with
Food & Friends Board Member Anne Shimabukuro
packing Thanksgiving meals.
Source: Office of Ward 4 Councilmember Bowser

What inspired you to run for public office in DC and what do you hope to accomplish as a member of the DC Council? 

I was raised in a family rich with civic mindedness. My dad was a longtime ANC commissioner, but both of my parents really instilled the idea of public service. I followed my dad’s footsteps and ran for commissioner in ANC 4B09 in my home neighborhood of Lamond Riggs. I received my Bachelors of Arts degree in History from Chatham College and my Master’s degree in Public Policy from American University here in DC. I strive every day to provide strong service to the 80,000 residents of Ward 4 and pride myself on always being connected. 

As a steadfast supporter of Food & Friends, what attracted you to our mission?

Food & Friends does vitally needed work for its clients. I really shudder to think how the District’s critically ill residents would survive without the services provided by Food & Friends and your impressive and always dedicated cadre of volunteers. Yes, we do share a neighborhood, but more importantly, we share a commitment to helping those in need.

You have spent the last few Thanksgivings volunteering with us. What is that experience like?

Short of being with my family on Thanksgiving, nothing warms my heart more than to be involved in helping ready Thanksgiving dinners for Food & Friends clients and seeing your volunteers, old and new.  There is such a close bond among those assembled and a genuine camaraderie between people who quite likely are meeting for the first time.

What is your advice for people who want to get involved in the DC community but don’t know how?

What a good question. First and foremost, I believe it’s important to know who you want to help and how.  Thank god for the internet and social media. Both make the task of finding out who needs help so much easier. And then here in DC in every Ward, regular monthly meetings occur on matters involving public safety (PSA and CAC meetings) as well as on topics of general community concern (ANC and Civic/Community Association meetings). Go to one of these meetings. You’ll quickly meet regular attendees and learn of ways you can become more involved.

We are proud to work and serve in the Fort Totten neighborhood. As a leader in the development of this neighborhood, what would you like to see happen here over the next five years?

I am proud of the ever changing landscape of the Fort Totten and Lamond Riggs Neighborhoods and have been pleased to help shepherd the soon to be finished transportation infrastructure improvements at the intersection of South Dakota Avenue and Riggs Road NE. I look forward to a day in the not too distant future when land that formerly housed the Tiger Mart shopping center will be a hub of new retail, dining and housing options for current and hopefully many new residents. Food & Friends location at this intersection, in my eyes, can only win more and more awareness as a result of this change in landscape.