Paying It Forward: Kyle Brown

For several years, Kyle commuted twice a week to Pennsylvania, splitting time with his sister to care for his aging mother. After his long drives north from Upper Marlboro, MD, Kyle was often too tired to cook anything for his mother. Fortunately, she had been receiving hot meals at home from volunteers at a local meal service, “I saw these people were having a big impact on my mom's life and helping us help her.”

From that experience Kyle decided he wanted to spend his extra time giving back to the community. “In 2018 I came to Food & Friends and looked at their mission. I saw they delivered meals to individuals, too. So, I signed up for the orientation and training as a volunteer delivery driver. And I guess you say the rest is history!”

By delivering weekly meals, Kyle discovered how rewarding the relationships he builds with clients can be, “They really look forward to me coming out, and I established a rapport with several of them - and it was all positive.”

In January 2024, Kyle and his wife received a Food & Friends Personal Estate Planning Kit and they decided to ask their financial planner about updating their own estate plans. “That booklet was very helpful in answering any questions the estate planning attorney had for us about what assets we have, where do we want them to go, and how do we want them to be distributed.”

Kyle and his wife were able to create their lasting gift to Food & Friends by making Food & Friends a beneficiary of two retirement accounts. Kyle was also pleased to discover that leaving a planned gift to Food & Friends was accessible to so many people, “It's just heartwarming to know that you don't have to be super rich to make a positive impact on someone's life. I'm doing something for someone else instead of someone doing something for me.”

By making Food & Friends a beneficiary of your retirement account or your will, you can help feed neighbors in need for years to come. Contact Marilyn Turner, CFRE at (202) 269-6849 or mturner@foodandfriends.org today to learn more.