Helping Hands: Matt Licht

Name: Matt Licht

Hometown: Camden, N.J.

DOB: Feb. 16, 1956

How long volunteering? 3 years -- preparing and serving food to the homeless at   Pinellas Hope. I work with a crew at St. Jerome Church that cooks the food, which a van transports in containers to the tent city, where we serve between 150 - 200 people over a half hour period.  

What encouraged you to start volunteering? A friend who already volunteered there suggested I could be of help 

What do you like most about volunteering? I had free time since retiring from my veterinarian business and volunteering gave me a sense of purpose. 

What keeps you interested? Knowing that people are depending on me, both at the Church, where we cook together, and at Pinellas Hope, where you see people being grateful and hopeful in spite of having come upon hard times.

How can the public help? People can donate money, food and clothing or volunteer themselves, mostly be sympathetic to those less fortunate who are trying to make the best of their situations.