I first met Marilee when she came to Sunday Friends in her mom’s belly. That was 22 years ago. Marilee was born into the Sunday Friends community, grew up going to Sunday Friends programs every Sunday, developed into a volunteer and then a part-time staff member - and, three months ago, became Sunday Friends’ full-time Bilingual Education Coordinator. She told me that she discovered her joy and her purpose through Sunday Friends.

Today, Marilee told me her story from the beginning to now and we both teared up.

Marilee’s earliest memories are of Sunday Friends being a central and essential part of her family’s life. If they lacked transportation, another family would make sure they got to the program. 

During her preteen years - ages 10 through 12 - Marilee took on a special role, assisting Raiza, our Literacy Coordinator. I remember seeing her always by Raiza’s side, receiving handwritten thank you letters from family members, handing out tickets once Raiza had approved the letters, and overseeing the sorting of the letters to prepare them for the mail.

When she turned 13, we offered her a “program staff” position: Nutrition Coordinator. Marilee would manage certain aspects of the serving of food and the distribution of the produce we sent home with families. She was too young for us to pay her with money, of course, so we compensated her with Sunday Friends tickets. 

That job lasted two years until COVID HIT. Everything changed then. The bustling community programs that had filled the school spaces to the max had to transition to primarily online services. And the store where families purchased needed items with tickets became a drive-thru. Marilee was hired to be the Basic Necessities Coordinator, which meant developing and managing a whole new system for distributing basic necessities to our families. She describes it as a “scary” time, because the fear of Covid contagion was always present. Marilee, with her bilingual skills and family connections, was the most in danger because she was the front person who interacted with each of the people who drove up to receive their bags. She knew how much the families needed those supplies during those stressful years and it did feel good to work with a team and be part of the refinement of the new way of operating. 

Marilee’s role expanded some when Covid eased and in-person community programs resumed, but the number of work hours still wasn’t enough for her, so she also worked two other jobs at the same time. But she dreamed of being able to do the work she loves full-time. Her mom said, “You just can’t leave Sunday Friends!” and she knew it was true, so she kept up the three jobs until…

Three months ago! That’s when Marilee was offered and accepted a full-time position as Sunday Friends’ Bilingual Education Coordinator. She just gushes with happiness over this role. She even shared how the families, many of whom watched her grow up, have been absolutely thrilled for her. 

Now Marilee gets to interact with community partners and bring in educators to teach classes for our families on Zoom. She just completed a series with the San Jose Police Department, for instance, and tomorrow will offer a class on tenants’ rights. She also has classes planned to teach families how to use email and even AI. How does she choose the class topics? Through consultation with the families themselves. 

Marilee told me: “I feel like I found purpose in myself. It took time to find myself and what I want to be happy with. My job is so supportive and I want to go forward. I have never had a day when I didn’t want to go to work. I’m so happy to learn and to be more out there with the family members.”

She spoke also about how supportive all the rest of the Sunday Friends team is. “When I need help, they are there for me. I come in to work and it’s: Hey, how was your weekend? I saw this and I thought of you. If we’re stressed out, we get stressed out together, trying to find a solution. It’s a beautiful team that I wouldn’t trade. I’ve learned how people should be people in the workplace.”

In fact, when Executive Director Tatiana hired Marilee for this new job, she encouraged her to advance her education, so Marilee is now pursuing her heart’s wish to become a kindergarten teacher. In another year, she’ll have her Associate’s Degree and will transfer into San Jose State University to complete a bachelor’s. 

She said, “I’m doing something I love, something joyful, and I know that being a teacher will feel the same way. Some kids don’t receive love. They come to school to find that love. Working with kids shows me that I can be more for them. Miss Marilee, look at my coloring page! If I can be the teacher they see hope in, when they go home they will feel loved. I’ve seen how much it means to the Sunday Friends families to be seen and heard and I want to carry that forward.”

Go forward, Marilee, with our love. You are a precious gift to our community.

- Janis, 05/2025