Meet Susie Osowski! Some of you may already know her but for those who don’t, we recently asked Susie, why she volunteers and why she chose to spend some of her spare time with Meals on Wheels San Francisco (MOWSF). Susie has been a dedicated and committed volunteer for over 7 years! Susie has lent her amazing leadership, heart, and humor to more than just one of the many MOWSF programs over the years. Learn more about Susie and how much our community means to her.
What do you do for a living?
I am a product manager for a global security technology and hardware manufacturing company.
When did you start volunteering with MOWSF and why?
I started looking into MOWSF as a volunteering opportunity after I’d lived in San Francisco for a bit and wanted to find a way to give back to my new community. I had previously volunteered for Big Brothers / Big Sisters when I was younger, and I found that MOWSF’s Grocery Shopper program was very similar – getting paired up with a senior in need and helping them in a variety of ways. I started out with various seniors who just needed me to do their grocery shopping for them and eventually was paired with Bonita. Bonita & I have been matched together for nearly 7 years. And while we started with me helping her with her grocery shopping, it has evolved over the years to meet her needs in a variety of ways. She lets me know when she needs help with shopping, computer issues, or even just moving stuff around her apartment and getting organized. We’ve gotten to know each other over the years and I love hearing her stories about her work and early years in SF.
Then, in 2017, the company I was working for was looking for group volunteer opportunities and I suggested we participate in HDG. While the company did it twice, I really enjoyed the group and the ability to give back and be productive so early in the morning! I started showing up more regularly and found a great community of volunteers who were passionate about the program and service. The program has grown and gotten much more organized thanks to the current MOWSF team, which allows the group to efficiently pack up the groceries and deliver them out to the 500+ seniors in need every week in just an hour or so! It’s such a fun diverse group, and many have been regularly volunteering on Wednesdays for many years so there is a lovely sense of community and camaraderie!
In addition, I’ve also enjoyed volunteering at events like Thanksgiving and the MOWSF Gala where I often help with Guest Registration. It’s always fun to help and do my part to help this incredible organization pull off some incredible feats!
Why do you volunteer with MOWSF?
I love volunteering with MOWSF for a variety of reasons. But mostly, I love giving back to the community and city that I now call home. I want to be a part of something that does good and has a positive impact on those around me. And when I volunteer with MOWSF, I know I’m working with a great group of volunteers and leadership who believe the same thing. This organization and its supporters genuinely care about the groups they serve.
