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California Freemason: You operate a nonprofit organization called Cookouts and Camaraderie. How did you start that work?

Jeffery Mendez: During the pandemic, I was part of a clinical deployment team at the VA, so I met some brothers and veterans at Camp Pendleton. That was where I started learning about some of the struggles that active-duty military personnel were experiencing. So last year, we started doing presentations to the VFW, the American Legion, and multiple Masonic lodges, and we raised enough funds to host our first event, which was on Thanksgiving. Since then, we’ve hosted four other potlucks, one homecoming event, and collectively handed out 750 turkeys and supported more than 1,000 active-duty military families. We’ve also helped provide resources for other special needs. What’s great is that thanks to our collaborations with these other organizations, we have a lot of volunteers who love to get involved.

CFM: What’s the response been like to these efforts?

JM: We want to show up for our military and their families and remind them they’re not alone. A lot of people in the military face isolation or go through their own silent struggles, and these cookouts can make all the difference for them.

CFM: How did you get involved in Masonry?

JM: My entire adult life, I’ve always had friends friends who were Masons. I joined after I caught up with a friend who is a Marine Corps recruiter and a Freemason. I was doing my nursing program in San Jose, so he referred me to San Jose № 10. When I did my first degree there, he actually flew in and surprised me.

CFM: What role does Masonry play in this effort?

JM: We have many Masons in the military, and we should be doing all we can to support them—in fact, our past grand master, Sean Metroka, was a Marine. We’ve basically created something similar through Cookouts and Camaraderie to what we have in lodge. If you look at our website, you’ll see that it links up with so many other organizations. People come together from all walks of life, religions, and backgrounds to connect and strive for the same goal. We provide support the same way a lodge supports its brothers. In the end, we’re just trying to share the light.