Just recently Jeannie and Mike Filomeno of Marcotte Ford found themselves digging into Mike’s golf bag in his car in our parking lot off Cabot Street when serving a meal they delivered at Kate’s. A gentleman had approached them, thanking them for always returning and saying how much he looked forward to their food and visits, but he had one small request: “Do you have any socks you can spare?” Mike and Jeannie had to act; they simply could not turn away. This is how Jeannie and Mike lead their daily lives; in the service of others.
Jeannie and Mike Filomeno of Marcotte Ford are at Kate’s Kitchen once a month in service to others. They deliver 100 hand-made Easter baskets, serve Jeannie’s own homemade manicotti and salad to community guests, bring filled backpacks for the children as they go back to school each year. In July the entire Marcotte family & team set up a tent, bringing their own grills and food, to treat our neighbors to a huge family style picnic.
”There is so much need in our community. If everyone and every company did just one thing, just think how much better off we all would be.
Jeannie Filomenodedicated volunteer
In fact, our Kate’s Kitchen and Margaret’s Pantry family would seem incomplete without the Marcotte family. And when our Margaret’s Pantry needed a new fridge this year or needed new garage doors, the Marcotte family acted.
How does someone connect with community in this way and show this level of compassion? It all started over 8 years ago when Jeannie and her brother Bryan wanted to serve at a local soup kitchen and they called Kate’s, spoke to Brenda and went down to meet her. They hit it off and committed to serving right away. For Bryan and Jeannie Marcotte, community service has always held a strong value in their family and when they got involved with the life-changing work at Providence Ministries, they found it to be infectious. “It’s important for us to give back to the community that has given so much back to us over the years.”
It may have began with Bryan and Jeannie, but it now is the entire family and team of Marcotte Ford employees; together they serve as an enormous, inspirational example of compassion in action.
What inspires them most about the work of Providence Ministries: “We have so much respect for the tireless work the employees and volunteers exhibit 365 days a year. And in emergencies Providence Ministries is first on the scene with clothing, blankets and support and now helping families relocate from Puerto Rico.”
If they were to share one thing it would be, “There is so much need in our community. If every person did ONE THING a year, it would make a huge difference. It would be great if other businesses got connected with the work of PM and get their employees involved. They would enjoy helping and supporting their community and would want to continue what they started.”
