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Volunteer at Meals of Marin!
From the Marin NCL Newsletter
National Charity League, Inc. is a national, non-profit, mother and daughter philanthropic organization whose purpose is to provide opportunities for its members to become involved in community service and also to enjoy and enhance their mother-daughter relationship through educational and cultural activities.
Meet Alex (pictured): the mastermind, the "mother", the mold that can't be broken - the man behind the meals. Alex is half of why Eliza and I pack up our car every other Tuesday and deliver for Meals of Marin. The other half is the human being behind the door. Delivering for Meals of Marin becomes a bit of an obsession: at first you focus on your route, your addresses, completion of the task. But as the weeks go on, the people who answer the door and even the door that is never answered become your family, your responsibility, your mission.
There are as many stories as there are meals to deliver. For a very long time, you have no idea who the people are or why you are delivering the meal. Over time and with trust and observation, you find the humanity and the heartache and, thankfully, the hope. There are doors Eliza and I have never seen open, where we leave the meal hanging in a bag or in a small cooler left by the recipient. Even those unknown recipients become very important to you. Your route becomes your own.
I asked Eliza to tell me why she loves delivering for Meals of Marin. "Well, the best part I think is the bond you create with the people that you deliver to. On our route, we have become friendly with the people that we see every time we do it. Like Rita. Every week we deliver, we stay and talk for a little while, and we have learned much about her and her life, and we have shared our stories with her too. But, not only is it the people that we see and talk to, it is also the houses that we have become accustomed to seeing the door never opened at. Also, it is just fun learning the route and seeing some parts of Marin that you don't normally spend time in."
There are always routes that need filling - hope you'll join the ride sometime soon!
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