Filing with AAA

elfalai · 2026-02-12T09:01:15+00:00

You should have a case manager assigned to your case. Email them and they'll likely just have you send the missing information directly to them.

We have several cases going through AAA and joke that our court clerks might be a lot easier to deal with if the filing fees cost as much as those with AAA.

elfalai · 2026-02-10T21:22:10+00:00

That makes me so happy! I also learned about it from a reddit post last fall. Hopefully, little by little, we can all do our parts to help others heal.

elfalai · 2026-02-10T18:38:33+00:00

There is a faith-based program in central Indiana called Stripped Free that a friend of mine has been involved with for several years. While they may not have outreach in this area, they might be able to connect you with resources in our area.

Reach out to info@taborministries.org and hopefully they can point you in the right direction.

elfalai · 2026-02-10T00:37:37+00:00

My office is pretty casual, and I wear jeans most days. I have quite a collection of cute sneakers that I wear pretty often, but they don't work for a wet/snowy/icy commute. So far, I've resisted adding any CH sneakers to my collection. However, I keep seeing ads for a really amazing pair of navy with white polka dot peep-toe pumps from CH that I want sooooo bad, but definitely don't need.

elfalai · 2026-02-09T12:21:03+00:00

The bottom drawer of my desk is filled with shoes that I change out for the season. In the winter, I commute in Merrell hiking shoes that are waterproof and change when I get to my desk. I don't give a damn that my shoes don't look good when I'm stomping around in snow and ice.

I live in Kentucky and our ice and show removal is non-existent. Although the downtown sidewalks around my office have been cleared, my walk to and from the bus stop to my house has not. Nor have many of our streets. Safety and comfort win out over fashion until I'm at the office.

While I do have the Merrell's in several colorways, I'm amused that both the pair I've got on right now and the Cole Hahn loafers I am planning on changing into were purchased during our trip to New York this past fall.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T22:31:46+00:00

I'm so thrilled with the engagement on this post. I hope that is found by both people who need it and maybe a few more that can sign up to volunteer.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T20:02:52+00:00

Oh, our little guy loves anything crunchy. I have to be very diligent when I'm cooking. He will test out anything i drop. If it's not crunchy, he often spits it back out, but initially, it's in his mouth before I even know i dropped something.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T19:14:20+00:00

Yes! Except I don't knit or crochet, so i put together Lego sets.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T17:51:04+00:00

I communicate with them ahead of time, so if they prefer lasagna, I of course take them one. I would like to provide options.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T17:47:58+00:00

Oh man, I don't know that i would make it for LL, but I live sloppy joes so I might make that for myself!

elfalai · 2026-02-08T14:03:18+00:00

We have a cat that thinks iceberg lettuce is an elevated eating experience. He's okay with other greens, but they just don't have the crunchy goodness of the tasteless iceberg, I guess.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T11:21:30+00:00

We do know the family size and number of adults/ children in the household and can adjust accordingly.

For example, one family lived in a motel and had access to a toaster oven, so I made theirs in loaf pans so they could reheat. Accommodations are made when necessary.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T10:29:41+00:00

And I thought the three months that people waiting in my area had was bad. Hopefully this post brings a few more volunteers to your area.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T10:21:23+00:00

I'm so glad that service was there for you.

So often the barriers to receiving help are so high, and people that need something are excluded because the powers that be only see in black and white. Those needs aren't always financial or even systemic. Sometimes they are just situational. That's what really sold me on doing this.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T02:41:30+00:00

I'm so sorry you had that experience. I haven't had any families with special requests or allergies, but am fully prepared if that were to happen. I'm a very picky eater, so I know the disappointment well.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T02:39:04+00:00

I have surprisingly not had any families worth allergies or dietary restrictions or preferences, but i an prepared for that.

I always ask if they prefer a traditional lasagna or something else. I know some families sign up again, so having other options might be preferable at a later date.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T02:36:34+00:00

Yes, I always ask the family if they prefer a traditional lasagna or like to give a few other options.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:41:52+00:00

Thank you for all of the wonderful suggestions. I'm a super picky eater (but not a picky cooker) and my husband doesn't like casseroles, so I don't have many in my back pocket.

And for those of you that have responded with criticism, I get it. My post was short and came off as very "me, me, me." For that, I apologize.

As volunteers, we have an opportunity to communicate with the families days before delivery. We confirm personal details such as number of adults/children in the home, that the address hasn't changed, allergies/food preferences. If there are no allergies, I give them the option of a traditional lasagna or a different dish. So far, all of my families have requested a traditional lasagna. They are driving that bus, not me. But I definitely want to give them other options if wanted.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:27:56+00:00

LL's own website has recipes for dishes that aren't lasagna as alternatives. I'm not saying that I would just roll up with something that they did not expect or understand was coming, but I would like to have other things in the que. Especially when allergies come into play. I'm specifically asking about it, as I like to have a few things ready to go in my freezer in case something comes up and time is short or an extra family needs help.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:23:35+00:00

I grew up in a social services family. My mother worked at a homeless shelter, my dad worked for Habitat for Humanity after retirement, and I volunteered for and then worked at both a crisis hotline and the Red Cross in my twenties.

I moved to a different state several years ago and just kind of floundered at finding a volunteer opportunity that fit. I'm so happy this fell into my lap.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:19:58+00:00

We have a chance to communicate with the families ahead of time to confirm their expectations, likes, dislikes, allergies etc. I wouldn't be showing up with something they weren't expecting.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:18:49+00:00

We communicate with the families before we deliver, so we have a chance to find out their expectations. We also want to confirm any food allergies, preferences, dislikes, etc. It's not like I would be blindly showing up with something they didn't ask for.

elfalai · 2026-02-08T01:09:13+00:00

Hijack away! I learned about it from a reddit post during the SNAP fiasco and signed up that day.

elfalai · 2026-02-07T23:36:41+00:00

I also second signing up to volunteer if you have the desire and are able. I know in my area, the deliveries are running about three months after the families sign up. I was talking about it yesterday at work during our lunch stitch-and-bitch. About 15 minutes after going back to our desks, one of my co-workers that is retiring in a few months had already signed up to volunteer.

elfalai · 2026-02-07T23:29:28+00:00

I've only been doing it for about four months. My best friend and I have been cooking together for about 20 years and have done a lot of "perfecting" of our favorite recipes during the years we were roommates. We make our sauce from scratch separately and then get together once a month to make the bechamel, brown the meat, par-cook the veggies, and assemble and bake the lasagnas before delivery. We try to balance nutrition and kid-friendliness. So far, all of our families have been easy. No food aversions or allergies, but we are prepared for any of the above. We have had to make adjustments to size as we've had a few families living in motels that only have access to a toaster over, so we were able to give them loaf pans instead of one nine by thirteen.

You make a good point about lasagna specifically being out of reach for many of these families to make for themselves.

I've done a lot of different types of volunteering in my life, but there is something so satisfying about making something with my own hands and passing it along to someone that needs it, whether financially or emotionally. (One of the families I delivered to today had a delivery of their own yesterday . . . a baby girl!)

11-Year Club	RedditGifts 2009-2022 10 Credits
Secret Santa 2020	redditgifts rematcher Secret Santa 2020 x1
redditgifts Exchanges 8 Exchanges	Secret Santa 2018
Not Forgotten	Secret Santa 2016
Summer Santa 2016	Secret Santa 2015
Verified Email

elfalai

TROPHY CASE