Volunteers

2023 Volunteer Appreciation Night

Each year, Interfaith Social Services dedicates an evening to honor and celebrate all of its amazing volunteers. This year’s Volunteer Appreciation Night was held June 8 and nearly 100 of Interfaith’s volunteers gathered at the Quincy Masonic Building (big thank you to the Masons for kindly donating their space for the evening!).
Guests enjoyed a delicious dinner catered by Black’s Creek BBQ and dessert from Kate’s Confections. After dinner, everyone took part in a lively game of Singo – a musical bingo game – and winners were pulled for the free raffle. It was a wonderful chance to socialize with our fellow volunteers and staff members outside of “the office.”
A few of our amazing Bureau Drawer volunteers.
Paula Daniels, Interfaith’s Director of Development, spoke at the event and said, “The textbook definition of the word ‘volunteer’ is a person who freely offers to take part in an enterprise or undertake a task. I feel like that definition does not do it justice at all! Interfaith defines a volunteer a little differently. Our definition is a person who is a superhero going above and beyond to help someone else; a saving grace who allows us to serve all who come to us asking for help.”
Atendees went home from the event with custom Interfaith volunteer shirts that they can wear during their weekly volunteer shifts. Volunteers are the heart and soul of Interfaith Social Services’ programs and we are so grateful for each and every one of them.
The Wednesday night crew posed for a photo.

Hall of Fame

During Volunteer Appreciation Night, Interfaith inducted 21 of volunteers into the Matti Lang Volunteer Hall of Fame. This honor is bestowed upon those who have served at Interfaith regularly for at least one year. The Hall of Fame is named after one of Interfaith’s most dedicated volunteers, Matti Lang, who gave decades of his life selflessly serving Interfaith’s clients. Interfaith considers all of its volunteers its heroes – they make sure that none of our neighbors in need go hungry or lose hope.
Our 2023 Matti Lang Volunteer Hall of Fame Inductees:
Sarah Alberione
Loretta Barron
Cindy Brandi
Mary Jane Callahan
Ruth Davis
Brian Delaney
Deni Howley
Dan Jaehnig
Angela Lee
Lisa Levenson
MacKenzie Lyle
Peter MacKenna
James Madej
Donna McGinn
Judy Morris
Mimi Powers
Joseph Silva
Julie Sorgi
Donna Tippo
Jay Waldron
Amy Zydanowicz

 

Some of our 2023 Matti Lang Volunteer Hall of Fame Inductees with Interfaith’s Director of Development, Paula Daniels.

Volunteers Wanted

Are YOU looking for volunteer opportunities? Weekly volunteer shifts are now available in our Food Pantry and Thrift Shop.
Volunteer Requirements:
  • You have the time to commit to one 3-hour volunteer shift per week (available shifts are Monday – Friday between the hours of 9am and 3:30pm – no evenings or weekends shifts are availble);
  • You are 16 years of age or older;
  • You are able to work in a fast-paced environment;
  • You can lift up to 30 lbs repeatedly.

If you meet the requirements above, please fill out the questionnaires below. PLEASE NOTE: This form is used to collect information only. If you are selected to fill one of our shifts, we will reach out to you to set up an interview.

Food Pantry Questionnaire
Thrift Shop Questionnaire

A few of our wonderful Food Pantry volunteers.
Board members and volunteers enjoyed an evening of food and socializing.
A few of our wonderful volunteers.
A few of our wonderful Food Pantry volunteers.
Interfaith staff, guests. volunteers and board members.
Volunteers went home with custom Interfaith Volunteer tshirts.
A free raffle included gift baskets, gift cards and more!
Dinner was catered by Black’s Creek BBQ.
After dinner, guests played a round of Singo featuring songs of the ’60s.
A few of Interfaith’s therapists getting excited about Singo.
Playing a round of Singo – a musical bingo game.
BINGO!
Another big winner!
Getting into the ’60s vibe.

Announcing our new Board President – Jay Marvin

Members of Interfaith's Board of directors
Interfaith Board President Jay Marvin
Interfaith Board President Jay Marvin volunteers in the food pantry during a recent In-Service Day.

We recently elected new officers and voted in new board members to our Board of Directors. Board member Jay Marvin, of Hingham, was elected president for a two-year term, ending in 2024.

Marvin is retired after working as Group Vice President of Global Transformation at Sodexo. He has partnered with us as a volunteer and board member since 2014. Marvin was the Cross Divisional VP of Growth and Marketing in the US for many years previous to his global role. He traveled and worked in many countries but spent a considerable amount of time in France. Marvin also served on the board of Sodexo’s Stop Hunger organization.

“Volunteering at Interfaith provided me with an understanding of how people used our services and their appreciation of us,” said Marvin. “We were there when their needs were real.”

Prior to joining Interfaith’s board, Marvin volunteered in a variety of capacities at Interfaith. He volunteered with the food rescue program, collecting thousands of pounds of food each day from area supermarkets, and served in the food pantry distributing food to clients. The experience gave him a comprehensive perspective of Interfaith’s operations.

“Working in the food pantry gave me a glimpse at the diversity of our customer base and the dynamics of their different needs,” said Marvin. “I believe that we all need help at certain times in our lives, some a lot more than others. There should be places where people can go to get the help they need and Interfaith Social Services is such a place.”

During his term, Marvin hopes to make progress on long-range planning with a focus on funding and maintaining the effectiveness of the organization’s strategic plan. One of his main goals is to ensure that Interfaith’s programs continue to meet the changing needs and desires of clients.

Additional Board Appointments

The board has also voted in three new members for 2023: Bill Blackmer, Roberta Ferguson-Gregg, and Maddy Gabor.

Blackmer, of Weymouth, is a Senior Manager at SunLife. He found Interfaith years ago and appreciates the opportunity to give back.

Ferguson-Gregg, of Weymouth, is recently retired from a 47-year career at Stop and Shop. As a long-time volunteer with Interfaith’s food pantry and Help for the Holidays program, she turned her vocation of selling food into an avocation of providing food to the food insecure.

Gabor, of Quincy, is the co-founder and CEO of this.us.now., a professional education and organizational development company that helps individuals, businesses and nonprofits work with better information and more joy. She joins the board after regularly volunteering in the food pantry for several years.

Members of Interfaith's Board of directors
Members of Interfaith’s Board of directors volunteered in the food pantry on a recent In-Service Day.

Interfaith Social Services invites members of the public interested in joining the Board of Directors or becoming a regular volunteer to email info@interfaithsocialservices.org or 617-773-6203 ext. 17.

Interfaith’s Drop-In Days: Try out a food pantry volunteer shift!

We are hosting a week of Volunteer Drop-In Days!

For those looking to lend a hand in their community, now has never been a better time. We’ve seen a dramatic increase in the number of individuals served in the food pantry. More than 800 individuals received food from the pantry in the first two weeks of 2019, compared with 510 during the same time period last year.

“We’ve seen quite an increase this month in the number of clients requesting food from our pantry,” said our Executive Director Rick Doane. “Clients are anxious about the government shutdown and how it may affect their benefits. They are worried about how to feed their families. Our pantry waiting room has been full every day this month.”

We’re able to serve clients through a volunteer force of more than 100 individuals, and we need additional help as demand from the community increases. During the Volunteer Drop-In Days, YOU – members of our community – are invited to try out a volunteer shift in the food pantry.

Those interested in volunteering should arrive at Interfaith, 105 Adams St., Quincy, at either 9:30am or noon for a three-hour volunteer shift any day, Monday, Jan, 28 – Friday, Feb. 1.

Volunteers will be required to fill out a CORI background check and registration form. You should be able to be on your feet for the duration of the shift and lift up to 50 pounds. Excellent customer service and communication skills are required. Volunteers must be 16 years of age or older.

The week-long Drop-In Days event will allow volunteers to get a feel for what it is like serving local residents in need by filling grocery orders for clients and restocking the food pantry shelves. Interfaith hopes that many of the volunteers who drop in will be interested in committing to an ongoing three-hour volunteer shift per week.

Those interested in volunteering at Interfaith Social Services are encouraged to contact volunteer coordinator Paula Daniels at 617-773-6203 ext. 28 or pdaniels@interfaithsocialservices.org. Or just stop by the Volunteers Drop-In Days event at 9:30am or noon between Monday, Jan., 28 and Friday, Feb. 1. See you there!

Congratulations to Cate Lane, our December Volunteer of the Month!

Cate has been volunteering at Interfaith since Sept. 2013. She works at the front desk on Tuesday mornings and runs the cash register on Monday afternoons in the Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop. She was nominated for Volunteer of the Month by her Tuesday front desk co-worker, Ellen Walsh.

Ellen Walsh, left, and Cate Lane, right, Interfaith’s Tuesday morning front desk volunteers.

Ellen says:
“Cate has volunteered for several years at Interfaith, with a smile for everyone. She covers the front desk where she is always empathetic and kind to all clients.

She goes out of her way when a client is in particular need. For example, she once worked with Charlene to help a new immigrant find a sewing machine so that she could continue to be a tailor here in the U.S.

Cate also volunteers regularly in the Thrift Shop. She will cover an additional shift even when they need help on short notice.”

We asked Cate 5 Questions:

1. Why did you choose to volunteer at Interfaith?

I chose to volunteer at Interfaith after researching nonprofit organizations in our community.  I wanted somewhere fairly close so I could still get there in bad weather. When I looked into Interfaith, which is practically around the corner from where I live, I realized this was the same organization that started as the Protestant Social Service Bureau & had been located (again) right around the corner from where I lived in Wollaston.  Although I was not that familiar with it at that time, I had known it was a respected organization which did a lot of good for the community.  So it was a matter of convenience for myself, respect for the organization & appreciation of the work done by Interfaith.

2. Is there a certain aspect of our mission that motivates you to want to volunteer here?

The fact that Interfaith treats all clients with compassion & dignity is a definite motivation for me.  And, the Food Pantry (incredible!) and the Counseling Center help fill a definite need in the community.

3. What other volunteer experience have you had?

I previously volunteered at Quincy Medical Center (2010-2014) and many, many years ago at Carney Hospital.

4. What do you enjoy most about volunteering here?

I enjoy working with the other volunteers who are always upbeat & go out of their way to treat everyone with respect & kindness.  Mostly, I enjoy working for the clients and honestly feel I benefit as much as the clients by volunteering here.  When a client is leaving the office & turns to say thank you or God bless you, you know you are truly blessed and fortunate to be a part of the Interfaith organization.

5. Tell us something interesting about yourself that the other staff and volunteers may not know.

I have become a genealogy fanatic recently  & have corresponded with new found relatives in Ireland, England & Liechtenstein.  While researching, have also discovered my son is eligible for membership in the Sons of American Revolution & the Mayflower Society (on his father’s side of course).

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Know someone who may be interested in volunteering? Have them reach out to volunteer coordinator Paula Daniels at 617-773-6203 ext. 28 or pdaniels@interfaithsocialservices.org.

Interfaith’s newest Hall of Famers!

We welcomed the newest slate of Hall of Fame volunteers last Thursday at Interfaith’s Volunteer Appreciation Night, while also thanking and recognizing all the hard work of our amazing volunteers.

Staff, board members, members of our event committees and many of our wonderful volunteers gathered June 14, at the Quincy Elks Lodge for an evening of food, trivia, raffles and awards. This annual event allows us to give back to those who give so generously of themselves to our organization throughout the year.

We kicked things off with a delicious catered dinner from That’s Tasty, which included Chicken Piccata, Roasted Eggplant and Marinated Sirloin Tips.

Then we moved on to the raffle, where lucky winners walked away with restaurant gift cards, Starbucks goodies, Fruit Center gift cards, movie tickets and more.

Paula inducted 25 new members into our Matti Lang Hall of Fame. The Matti Lang Volunteer Hall of Fame is named after one of Interfaith’s most dedicated volunteers who gave decades of his life selflessly serving Interfaith’s clients. The honor of being inducted into the Hall of Fame is bestowed upon volunteers who have been serving within the organization regularly for at least the last year.

Congratulations to our 2018 inductees!

  • Jean Accorsini
  • Rosalyn Baker-Greene
  • Linda Baumeister
  • Jeanne Butts
  • Casey Cameron
  • Stephen Coady
  • Terry Donovan
  • Joyce Feeney
  • Angela Fleming
  • Gillian Grossman
  • Pam Harty
  • Judy Kiley
  • Sarah Livermore
  • Peter Lung
  • Jay Marvin
  • Ariana McBride
  • Katie McEvoy
  • Susan Moorhead
  • Jean Murphy
  • Alex Prager
  • Dea Semini
  • Anita Siwy-Knight
  • Christine Swanson
  • Gail Valles
  • Ellen Walsh


In addition to the Volunteer Hall of Fame, we also honored our 2018 Community Partner of the Year, Arbella Insurance. This award is specifically for businesses or organizations that have demonstrated an exemplary commitment to volunteerism. Arbella’s efforts to instill a culture of service and community engagement among their employees have made a measurable impact on Interfaith and those we serve.

This is the first year that Interfaith has honored a business with this award and there was no question the Arbella should be the first recipient. Arbella has partnered with Interfaith for at least two decades, making them our single longest corporate partner. Last year alone, Arbella’s employees gave us close to 500 hours of their time. They helped in the food pantry, distributed Thanksgiving meals and holiday gifts to clients, set up for our Feed the Hungry Gala and our Stop the Stigma 5K, worked in our garden and processed large mailings. In addition, 22 of their employees walked or ran in our Stop the Stigma 5K. We are so grateful for the philosophy of giving and service that Arbella cultivates in their offices. Beverly Tangvik and Jennifer Reale accepted the award on behalf of Arbella.

We ended the night with a spirited round of trivia. Tables competed against each other for bragging rights and Target gift cards. Do you know the answers to these stumpers?

  1. How many James Bond films are there?
  2. Name the top three TV/streaming shows for the 2017/18 season.
  3. How many bags of clothing were donated to the Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop last year?

(Answers at the end of this post.)

Congratulations to “The Two Bills” table, this year’s trivia winners!

Volunteers left with six-packs of mini cupcakes from Sadie Mae’s Cupcake Cafe in Hingham.

A big thank you again to all our volunteers, who give tirelessly in serving their communities. Interfaith wouldn’t exist without you!

Trivia answers: 1) 25
2) Game of Thrones, Stranger Things, The Walking Dead
3) 9,441

Volunteer profile of the week – Linda Greene of Quincy

Linda and Steve Greene
Linda is one of Interfaith’s dedicated volunteers, serving in both the Food Pantry and Thrift Shop every week. Here she is with her husband Steve as they served food pantry clients together this spring.

Linda Greene has been volunteering at Interfaith Social Services for the past few months. She volunteers on Wednesday of each week in Interfaith’s Food Pantry and our Bureau Drawer Thrift Shop. In the morning she assembles food orders for clients in the food pantry and in the afternoon she sorts, tags and displays donated items in the Thrift Shop. Linda also helped to assemble hundreds of Easter Baskets for Interfaith’s clients this spring.

Linda began volunteering at Interfaith when she saw various newspaper articles detailing the work that Interfaith does in the community. She stopped by their office to ask if she could be of any service.

Linda encourages people to volunteer because she believes that “…we all need to help out people in need.” She loves volunteering so much that she has even brought her mom once or twice as well as her husband, Steve, who helped in the Food Pantry during the Easter season. Even as a first time volunteer Steve felt comfortable and said it was a great experience.

When asked what she likes most about volunteering at Interfaith, Linda responded, “I like to be able to help the community. It’s a nice way to give back, and it’s a comfortable place to be. My favorite experience has been seeing the appreciation of clients.”

When she’s not volunteering or babysitting her two grandchildren, Linda enjoys teaching children as a literacy specialist and she loves to bowl.

Thank you for your service Linda, as well as the hundreds of other amazing volunteers who together donated over 19,000 hours of service at Interfaith last year!