SCOTT DETROW, HOST:
Now for our series Here to Help, about volunteerism in America. When Matilda Brooker and her family moved to New York's Chelsea neighborhood from England 15 years ago, she didn't have friends in the city. Brooker wanted to get involved at her children's elementary school to get to know the community. The PTA wasn't quite her style, but a new program at the school sounded interesting.
MATILDA BROOKER: The lady who runs the after-school at the kids' elementary school decided to get some chickens - so to involve the kids in something that's not city-related. But she needed help during the vacations and the weekends.
DETROW: Brooker liked the idea of giving the kids a little barnyard break in the heart of New York, so she raised her hand to help out.
BROOKER: Well, I was very excited. We were all very excited. And then they arrived. And I think we were all very nervous to begin with because you can open up the coop and they can run out into the yard. But it was just like, how the hell are we going to get them back (laughter)? But luckily, they were pretty easily trainable, and they all go back in.
DETROW: Brooker not only bonded with the chickens but with the other volunteers, all of whom were women. Remarkably, they have all kept at it, all volunteering together.
BROOKER: It's at least 13 years, I reckon I've been doing it. And we've all become firm friends. My neighbor calls it like a Supreme Court appointment. You can never leave. You have to die to be chucked off. And none of us have kids at the school anymore (laughter). It's incredible, really, to have that retention rate for a volunteer gig 'cause most people don't stay that long (laughter).
DETROW: Brooker and the other women call themselves the Chicken Ladies. Yes, it's the name of their WhatsApp group. Recently, some of them decided to commemorate their friendship with matching tattoos of - what else? - chickens.
BROOKER: So I got it on my wrist, and I love it 'cause I can look at it every day, and I can make it be little or big. Small chicken, big chicken (laughter). You know, I look at it 400 times a day, so I'm constantly reminded of the chickens.
DETROW: But Brooker says, over the many years, it has always been about much more than the chickens.
BROOKER: It was having a support group of people who could help me. You know, it's a funny way to meet people, but the friendships now that we have are very close. And yeah, we all know each other pretty well, I'd say. Yeah, it's a weird way to know people - through chickens - but yeah, we've got strong bonds.
DETROW: That's Matilda Brooker, one of the Chelsea Chicken Ladies. You can find more stories of volunteerism in America at npr.org/heretohelp.
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