Jeri’s Full Story
Jeri Wasco discovered Food & Friends through the Kiwanis Club of Northwest DC, which she’s been active with for over 18 years. After one volunteer visit at Food & Friends with the group, she says she was “instantly hooked.”
“Food & Friends embodies the qualities of a family,” says Jeri, and that feeling of community and comradery has kept her coming back, two days a week, for the past five years. On her volunteer days, she comes in between 7-8 am to organize and label meal bags and always stays “until the job is done.” Each volunteer shift she powers through two-days’ worth of bag labels to ensure our expediting area is able to get over 3,000 meals packaged accurately and efficiently and ready for delivery.
In addition to the sense of fulfillment she gains by serving community members in need, Jeri has also felt a stronger sense of self because of the acceptance of her disability by her Food & Friends family.
“For disabled people in general, when you come into work at an unknown place, people think your intellectual knowledge compared to ‘normal’ people is lower,” she says. But once she found her niche at Food & Friends, any sense of difference quickly disappeared.
“When I first came here, it’s like reality stopped at the door. I walk in here and it’s like a calming feeling because I know people don’t judge me. My niche is football. Everyone here loves the Redskins, but I’m a Giants fan. Once I started talking about football, my intellect all of a sudden came up to the same level as other people.”
“I like that back and forth banter with people. You know what’s amazing? It may sound weird, but [the staff] don’t give me an inch. Exactly like my husband. They don’t see my disability and I can stand with the best of them. I have a different bond with each person.”
This past April, Jeri was one of a small group of volunteers honored at our annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner. Each year, Food & Friends welcomes between 9,000 and 10,000 volunteers annually who are essential to achieving our mission, including student groups, faith groups and corporate groups. But within that larger group are several hundred core volunteers who come in on their own on a weekly or biweekly schedule, acquiring extra insight into how Food & Friends operates. Jeri is one of those dedicated volunteers.
“This place will change your life,” says Jeri. “It goes beyond just the atmosphere; it’s a well-greased machine. I sit there and listen to all the staff members, and it’s so well organized, to the T. It’s amazing to me.”
It’s easy to join Jeri and our vibrant volunteer community. Food & Friends has a range of volunteer opportunities to suit every need. Our volunteers help us on the road with delivery, in the kitchen and meal packaging facility, and even in the office with administrative duties.
Want to join our volunteer team? Learn more on our volunteer page or email us for more information!