We love to go behind the scenes to introduce you to some of our amazing volunteers. This month we asked Jessica to help us get to know her better. She has been volunteering in several capacities for our agency, including doing senior outreach visits, delivering pantry groceries and conducting Shabbat programs at local senior communities. Here are excerpts from our interview:
How long have you lived in Charlotte and what was your path to arrive here?
I have been living in Charlotte for a year now, having moved from Miami, Florida. I have loved every single moment we've been in this beautiful city and hope to stay in Charlotte for this new chapter in our lives. Before Miami, we spent close to a decade in Bogota, Colombia, and before that close to 7 years in Boston, MA where I went to University.
What drew you to volunteer for JFS and what is your favorite thing about it?
I volunteered for over five years with the JCS (Jewish Community Services) and Food Bank in Miami. I knew from the start I wanted to continue that wonderful experience, so the first thing I did when I arrived in Charlotte was to contact JFS! I wanted to find out if they also had programs for seniors that I could help out with and luckily they have a wonderful program supporting the community. I love connecting with seniors so much; it’s an honor for me to be a part of their lives. These amazing people teach and enrich me by sharing their life experiences and wealth of knowledge.
What do you enjoy in your spare time?
First and foremost, I love spending time with my husband of 33 years, Jacques, and my wonderful “boys” Victor and Steven, who are 29 and 27 years old. I also enjoy running outdoors and being in nature, reading, painting, traveling and eating good food, whether it be by cooking at home or eating out. I have to emphasize that my husband is a superb cook!
If you could eat only one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tomatoes! I pretty much eat them every single day and have been doing so for years. We eat them in all shapes and forms, mostly every meal we have includes tomatoes.
What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
My diverse, rich and somewhat atypical background. Aside from the fact that I was born in Colombia, South America, my ancestry has no ties to Colombia. My family arrived to Colombia, from Poland and Rumania. My husband was also born in Colombia, but his grandparents were from Turkey and Syria, which makes for my sons to be a mix of 50% Sephardic and 50% Ashkenazi. Our household is made up by that wonderful mix of Jewish, Middle Eastern, European, Latin and American influences. You can then imagine the foods that are served at our table!
