I saw this come up on a Nextdoor post and given that it had to do with Linda Plaut, who was much loved in Newton, I wanted to share it here as well.

Good Morning Family and Friends, It has been almost two years since my mother’s passing and to honor her memory I have decided to try to collect 100 pots with lids for Welcome Home.

 

My mother, Linda Plaut, had a yellow pot with a lid which simmered soups, stews and meals for our family and literally dozens of students and professionals from around the world who lived with her in her home in Newton from 1988 until 2017. These guests who came as boarders became her friends. Wael from Egypt, Maria from Bulgaria, Ra’ida from Jordan, Magnus from Sweden, and SunJoo from Korea were just five of the many people who came to Boston for school or professional training, rented my mother’s third floor room, and enjoyed food from her yellow pot. My mother opened her kitchen to so many and also learned to cook dishes from their home countries. She shared that pot with others and the pot kept giving.

 

At Welcome Home we are almost always in need of pots with lids. 94% of our clients are women, and we have been told by the social service agencies who we work with that when you give a pot to a woman the benefit is amplified to her children, spouse, parents, and community because the food that comes from it feeds everyone around her.

 

In honor of my mom, I am hoping to collect 100 pots for Welcome Home by February 17, which is the day of her passing. Maybe you have a pot with a lid that you just aren’t using. Or maybe you would prefer to buy and donate a new one. All I ask is that it has a tight-fitting lid and is in good enough condition that you could see someone else using it. If you are so inclined you can donate a pot with a lid in three ways:

 

Leave a pot on our steps at the end of our driveway at 33 Irving Street, Newton Center.

 

Bring a pot to Welcome Home on Wednesday, February 17 between 12:30-1:30pm (Trinity Church, Furber Lane entrance, Newton Center). Send a pot to our home – 33 Irving Street, Newton Center, MA 02459. Thank you so much for your consideration. I would be grateful if you would forward this email to others who knew my mom, or knew of her and might want to participate. Warmly, Julie

This is the yellow pot. It currently lives with my mom’s friends Gary and Beth in downtown Boston.