Jennifer and Carson: A mother-and-son team who volunteer with PORCH every month!

Some volunteers become part of the very heart of an organization—Jennifer and her son Carson are exactly that. Since the days of our drive-thru distributions, they’ve been a dependable duo, always ready to load up cars with care and kindness. Today, they continue to show up for our community each month, helping families shop for groceries in the new PORCH Community Hub Market—this time with a trusty shopping cart instead of a car trunk! Their enthusiasm, reliability, and big hearts make them a true gift to PORCH.

Here’s a closer look at their PORCH journey, straight from Carson himself!

Q: When did you first start volunteering with PORCH?

A: My mom and I had been volunteering for a few years at Table. We had some of our Table shifts with Gabrielle, who also volunteered at PORCH. She talked highly of it and got my mom in contact with Carol at PORCH. My mom went to her first shift at Extraordinary Ventures in March of 2023. I joined her for my first shift in July of 2023. We both loved it and wished it happened more than once a month. We were so excited when the Hub opened and there were so many different types of shifts, days, and times.

Q: What are your favorite roles when volunteering?

A: My favorite role is anything that keeps me busy! I loved packing the cars at the Rec Center and trying to beat my mom in how many peanut butters we could hand out. At the Hub I am enjoying helping the families check out and taking their groceries out to their cars. My mom’s favorite role is packing and sorting. It gives her another place to be super organized.

Q: What do you enjoy most about volunteering with us?

A: We love having fun activities to do with each other and we love helping other people during that time.

Q: What’s it like having three generations of Zeplins volunteering with us?

A: Now that my Grammy is retired, we got her into volunteering at Table and at PORCH. We are excited to help her find more fun things to do during the day and also get more help to the organizations we love. We are excited to be doing our first volunteering session with all 3 of us together in May!

Q: What else do you like doing together in the community?

A: We love both PORCH and Table. I am hoping to be able to attend a lot more sessions over the summer when I don’t have to go to school. We have also done deliveries for Meals on Wheels and helped out at events with Triangle Disability & Autism Services.

Q: What is your favorite recipe using fresh foods like the ones at the monthly market?

A: I LOVE fruit!! I pretty much eat fruit with all my meals and a lot of snacks. One of my favorite things my Grammy makes me is her mashed potatoes.