A volunteer-run organization is only as great as the inspired energy and commitment of its team.
One of our original donors and volunteers, a pillar of FreeMeals, is Falguni Dave.
She is a physical therapist who works at Back On Track.
She is driven to help the injured and those in pain to improve their range of motion and movement.
She is the backbone of the operation. In her free time Falguni volunteers for FreeMeals in the meal operations group. She’s responsible for working with all those families who are unable to fill out online requests and need help with coordination of their meal delivery.
In fact, she is the one processing the majority of orders since most applying for meals either aren’t very tech-savvy or simply don’t have access to a computer. This program was launched during the pandemic as the elderly are unable to leave their home. So Falguni has been instrumental n working with seniors in their 80s and 90s!
Falguni not only processes requests but also delivers hot fresh meals to those in need. Here is why she is so dedicated to helping feed those in need, “As a healthcare professional working in the physical therapy field, I really appreciate the importance of good nutrition for overall health and well being. Especially amongst the elderly population. When the pandemic started, there were so many patients, especially the older patients that were unable to leave their homes even for the most basic necessities. Getting a hot nutritious meal was almost impossible.”
Between dietary restrictions and figuring out which meals go where, this can be a complex job.
“These folks are not tech-savvy and so getting help was very difficult. I felt that the meal program through FreeMeals was really special, as it not only helped people in need but helped small businesses and restaurants as well. I appreciated the latter part too as we are a small private clinic ourselves. Personally, I have had the benefit of getting tremendous support from Healcircle in dealing with my own health problems and felt that through FreeMeals, this was the perfect opportunity to give something back.”
FreeMeals not only helps families and restaurants but also our volunteers. “I would say that my experience with Free Meals has been 100% satisfactory. Every penny of donations goes towards helping families in need and helping businesses/restaurants in need. The entire FreeMeals team from Reena to every single volunteer is 100% committed to helping the community. It feels amazing to be a part of this “family” where the only goal is to help those in need. It is so motivating to see how dedicated and enthusiastic everyone is. Most of all, to be surrounded by so much positivity in today’s world is truly a blessing.” says Falguni.
She has had the best experience helping lots of people. She has described her favorite moment of delivering meals. “My most memorable experience is of a phone conversation I had with the family of an elderly lady I was helping. Her family was not able to help her as they were living far away. When she started with Free Meals her weight was less than 90 lbs; after about 2 months with Free Meals, her weight had improved by almost 10 lbs. The family was so appreciative and so grateful for the help she got from us. I felt that I truly made a difference in someone’s life that day.” This is just heartwarming to hear. Not only was it good in the process, but the interaction left her happy, satisfied, and accomplished. I would say
Free Meals is an organization that is a 100% dedicated towards helping people and the community as a whole.
At FreeMeals every penny works double-time, on one end helping a family in need and on the other end helping a small business survive these tough times. “If you light a lamp for somebody, it will also brighten your path
