Editor’s Note: Ever wonder what’s the story behind that person you see picking up roadside garbage in Old Lyme? Or what’s the deal with that usher at the Garde Arts Center in New London who takes your tickets with a giant smile? The Day is launching a Get to Know Your Neighbors series, where for the next week you will learn about the people in your community who make a big difference but often go unnoticed.

Groton ― On a recent afternoon, Groton Community Meals volunteer Julie Leese helped prepare a meal of homemade tostadas, while talking and laughing with fellow volunteers in a sun-filled kitchen at Thames River Magnet School.

She packed up the meals in a thermal bag and ran them out to volunteers who were distributing them to people lined up in cars outside the school.

She is one of the volunteers who twice a week make 200 dinners for the community.

Leese is a Groton Community Meals board member who volunteers every Wednesday. The nonprofit organization, run by volunteers, prepares and distributes free meals at the Thrive 55+ Active Living Center on Mondays and Thames River Magnet School on Wednesdays.

“Julie is an amazing human. She really is. She’s our be-all, end-all in this kitchen. She will jump in and do pretty much anything,” said Danielle Cohen, the head chef at Wednesday’s meal distribution. That includes moving 50-pound containers of pasta and picking up any extra food the meal site needs.

“She is a beautiful soul, and what she does for this group is above and beyond,” added Cohen.

Leese said Groton Community Meals’ work is so important and mentioned its motto of “Neighbors Supporting Neighbors, One Meal at a Time.” She said the people they are serving are their neighbors, and it’s not necessarily known that they are facing food insecurity.

“It’s important that they are seen and that this a basic need that’s taken care of, so everybody here feels very deeply about that,” Leese said.

Leese, 65, is retired from a 42-year career as a nurse. During her husband’s U.S. Army service, she and her family traveled to locations around the world and she pursued her nursing career by volunteering and during longer stays, working at the local hospital.

When her husband got out of the service, the family moved to Groton in 1992 and she began working at Backus Hospital.

Decades ago, Leese had applied to volunteer in the Groton community with the Americares Free Clinic Bus that used to make weekly stops at Groton Human Services. But she unfortunately couldn’t participate because the hours conflicted with her second shift at the hospital.

Groton Human Services Director Marge Fondulas, who is a founding board member of Groton Community Meals and volunteers at the Thames River site, said Leese is the type of person who will jump in to many volunteer opportunities in the community.

In her retirement, with more control over her schedule, Leese is grateful to have found those opportunities to volunteer.

Leese volunteers annually with her husband, John, for the Thanksgiving and holiday distributions at Groton Human Services and then started volunteering with Groton Community Meals last year after learning about the opportunity from Fondulas.

Leese said she, along with Aline Shulman and Ed Card of Groton Community Meals, helped start two plots for Groton Community Meals in the community garden near the Groton Human Services building. Leese said it’s really important to grow fresh food from the garden for the meals.

Leese said being on the Groton Community Meals board gives her the opportunity to be involved with the discussions and planning on practical issues like improving the way the meals happen as well as helping with the future of the program. The board committees are working on grant applications, volunteer support, raising awareness for the program, and special projects, including building out a food trailer.

Leese said she gets back so much more than she gives by volunteering with Groton Community Meals. She said the volunteers share a lot of camaraderie as they prepare meals to provide to community members in need with dignity and respect.

“Julie is everybody’s best friend,” said volunteer Ben Helme.

k.drelich@theday.com