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Volunteer Spotlight: Lata Vasudevan

Food has the power to nourish not just our bodies but also our spirits. For Insight Housing volunteer Lata Vasudevan, preparing a meal is a way to express care and uplift those around her.

“I like the fact that I’m doing something useful for the community,” she says, reflecting on her twice weekly volunteer work in the kitchen at the Hope Center. “Food is such an important, absolute need, and I’m happy to help people with that need.”

Lata says she always feels welcome when she enters the warm, squeaky clean kitchen overseen by Insight Housing’s Meals Program Manager Andre Green. “They greet me by name, and I know all their names,” she shares about her fellow volunteers and the staff. There she packs lunches for the women’s shelter and serves food for the daily Community Meal.

The meals Lata and the team prepare here are meant to meet essential nutritional needs AND provide a sense of connection and care that makes each person feel valued and supported, she says. “If I don’t eat properly during the day, I can’t function properly,” she says. She understands that an empty stomach can make anything worse, and says she wouldn’t want anyone to face an already tough situation like living on the streets without the sustenance they need.

Lata’s professional background is in urban planning and she says she appreciates the care that went into designing the Hope Center to make it more than a collection of housing units, but a welcoming home. Just as in urban planning, where the goal is to create thriving communities, Lata believes that food plays a similar role.

“Successful housing projects feel welcoming and comfortable. Good design matters, and where people live has a huge impact on their mental health and overall health. The same is true for food,” says Lata. “Meals made with care meet essential nutritional needs so everyone can start their day on the right foot and help create a sense of community.”

Take Action for our Community

Inspired by Lata’s story and want to get involved? Learn more about how you can be a part of Insight Housing’s work to provide essential housing and meals to our neighbors here.