Melissa Maharaj

Womens Service Club of Boston​​

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A lifelong Dorchester resident, Melissa volunteers each year at the Women's Service Club of Boston's Annual Hi-Tea, helping prepare and serve food and to support the event as needed. After being introduced to the Women’s Service Club by one of the club’s members, she decided to start volunteering at High-Tea as a means of giving back to the community that shaped her.

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For Melissa, cooking and sharing food have always been a way to connect with people and she treasures the chance to learn from fellow volunteers, many of whom have spent most of their lives in Boston. The connections deepen her appreciation for the city's history, resilience, and richness. “To me, community is not just a place, it’s the people, the stories, the relationships, and the ways we show up for one another,” she says.

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Beyond volunteering, Melissa works in Roxbury, where she is dedicated to expanding opportunities and supporting young people, families, and communities of color. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with family, friends and her fur babies.

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Melissa is deeply honored to be named an ABCD Community Hero and hopes her experience will inspire others to get involved and give back: "I often receive just as much from volunteering as I give."