When Andy’s two daughters no longer needed him as their daily chauffeur, he found himself at a turning point, ready to give his time in a new and meaningful way. After a 20-year career as a federal employee, where he specialized in resume writing and career development, Andy wasn’t just looking to volunteer, he was looking to make a difference.
That opportunity came when Lunch Break expanded its Life Skills program. Living just around the corner, Andy began stopping in, often quite literally on his “lunch break”, to connect with guests. His initial goals were simple but powerful: help individuals update their resumes and rebuild the confidence many had lost.
What he found was something far deeper.
“It was fulfilling to see their perspective shift into gaining confidence,” Andy shared. One particularly meaningful moment came when he worked with a young man whose mother served on the Lunch Break Board of Trustees. After their time together, she told Andy, “You changed my son’s life.” That same client was later invited on stage by Jon Stewart at a Lunch Break gala, an unforgettable moment that Andy considers one of his proudest.
Andy’s involvement didn’t stop there. With Fridays off from his government job, he began volunteering at the Your Choice Pantry. He went on to serve three years on the Board of Trustees and took on even more hands-on roles, delivering Route #2 in Red Bank for the Homebound program every Monday and now regularly volunteering with the Friday Crew in the mornings.
One of his earliest memories still stands out. When Sue Binns first asked him to volunteer, Andy mentioned he had Fridays off. Her response? “Great! You can volunteer here every Friday!” That moment marked the beginning of something lasting.
But it was a deeply human interaction that truly cemented his commitment.
“I remember taking a guest around,” Andy said. “I’m a pretty open guy, and he started sharing. Using my interpersonal skills training from Monmouth University, I helped him open up. He talked about his struggles, his life, and by the end, he laughed, gave me a brief hug, and said, ‘This is the first time I’ve felt human in a long time.’ That was a sledgehammer moment for me. I was hooked.”
From that point on, Andy made it his mission to create space for others to share their stories. “When people speak their story out loud,” he explained, “it becomes less of a monster in their head.”
For Andy, the heart of volunteering lies in community. He speaks warmly about fellow volunteers, people like Beth, Angela, Wally and the entire warehouse team, who share a common purpose: to serve.
“Every other Friday we load food into the pantry, and you think it’ll still be there when you come back, but it’s not. The need is constant,” he said. “That’s what keeps me coming back. Once you start helping, it becomes part of you.”
He’s also keenly aware of the emotional weight many guests carry. “Some are living on the knife’s edge,” he said. “As volunteers, it’s up to us to be that moment of hope, to remind them they deserve care, dignity and kindness.”
Andy often shares a simple message with guests who are struggling:
“In here, at Lunch Break, there is happiness and hope. Put the hardships of the world aside.”
And through his service, Andy has discovered something profound:
“Volunteering at Lunch Break has made me a better parent, a better husband, a better friend and a better human being.”
