When Nicole Rostant moved to South Florida from Trinidad and Tobago, she set a goal of finding an organization to volunteer with by her birthday. In June, her birthday wish came true when she began volunteering with Boca Helping Hands.
Nicole grew up in a family of entrepreneurs, and their motivation and drive would later inspire Nicole to follow in their footsteps. Her mother, a catering business owner, put Nicole to work, helping her cook for large parties, events, and sometimes for charities, where they would donate their services and food. “That was when my passion for cooking was born,” Nicole said. “I enjoyed cooking for people and large events, but it meant more when we were feeding people that needed it.”
When Nicole found Boca Helping Hands in 2023, she immediately felt at home in the kitchen. “Finding BHH was a birthday gift to myself,” Nicole said. She has since become a weekly Shift Lead, coming up with daily menus that utilize the fresh vegetables and proteins that are available.
Since joining the BHH family, Nicole has made herself available when the kitchen is short on hands, helping assemble a team of cooks at a moment's notice. “There has been an increase in the number of people in need of hot meals, and sometimes, there aren’t enough volunteers to prepare them,” she said.
Nicole is a firm believer in giving back to her community; she believes that if you cannot give money, give your time, and if you cannot give time, show kindness. Nicole looks forward to many more years of service with Boca Helping Hands, as she finds her work with BHH to be filled with love and compassion - and extremely rewarding.
