Voice of a Volunteer: Nicholas
When Nicholas first volunteered at the soup kitchen, he was in a dark place and came here to get back onto the right track. “I owned my own restaurant. We had a fire, and I went through a state of depression. A friend recommended that I get out and get back around food and help people by volunteering at Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen,” Nicholas says.
[blockquote]”People light up so easily with just a simple meal. It makes me grateful for what I have and it’s a humbling experience.”[cite]-Nicholas[/cite][/blockquote]
He listened to his friend, and for the past several months, he’s been volunteering here two days a week as a runner, “replenishing the food and making sure the service line is moving along.”
Volunteering has made a world of a difference for Nicholas. “Coming here has opened up another part of my life. It hit me in my heart directly. It’s a pleasure to see how people light up so easily just with a simple meal. It just makes me grateful for what I have, and it’s a humbling experience,” says Nicholas.
“Volunteering here made me realize that I have it a lot better than many,” Nicholas shares. “Your money could be stretched out a lot more than a pair of new sneakers. Your money can go a long way here.”
Coming from a restaurant background, Nicholas is especially impressed by the quality of the food we serve and by the work our chefs do preparing nutritious and delicious meals at a reasonable cost. “I was amazed at how organized and how efficient everything is running. The line is serving 1,000-1,200 people within two hours, which is a big feat. To have everything supplied and ready to be able to replenish and serve so many people in such a short period of time, it’s amazing,” Nicholas says, smiling.
Nicholas is hoping that his new restaurant will open soon but he plans to continue to volunteer here even once his business is back up and running. “I made a promise to myself that I will definitely donate at least one day a week here. Everyone should come down to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen and just volunteer one day, whether it’s once a week, once a month, once a year, or once in a life time.”
