Arleen Boruta
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“Kindness and happiness go together, one feeds off the other. We might not always feel happy, but a kind gesture, given or received, will always bring a smile and be remembered.” -Arleen Boruta
Arleen has one of the biggest hearts of all of our PACS volunteers. For the past 13 years, she has provided kindness and compassion to everyone she meets. As a Market assistant, she helps guests find the foods they need and feel welcomed as they come through our doors. Arleen loves to talk to our guests, learn their stories and see how PACS makes an impact on their lives. She believes that even the smallest acts of kindness can make someone’s day just a little bit brighter.
Her love of volunteering comes from her mother, who helped her own community until she was about 80 years old. She would share whatever she could, even if she did not have much. Like her mother, Arleen was inspired to become someone who would provide a helping hand to anyone who needed it. Even if it was something small, their selfless kindness touched the hearts of so many people throughout the years.
Arleen has been amazed at how much PACS has changed over the almost 13 years she’s been volunteering. From running operations out of a basement on Church Street, to now growing ten-fold thanks to infrastructure upgrades, Arleen has watched as PACS continues to grow in order to meet the needs of the community. Despite the constant changes, she appreciates how PACS is still able to help others and ensure that everyone has access to food.
When Arleen is not volunteering her time here, she loves to work on her garden. She spends about 10 months of the year nourishing and growing fruits, vegetables and flowers. In the past, she has given PACS a bounty of tomatoes to add to our Market. To Arleen, PACS is more than just feeding the community, but also connecting to the community. It is a meaningful place for people to come together, and ensure that everyone enjoys their visit to PACS.