Volunteer Experience Paper

Around the globe there are many who are at a state of no access to food. Not only does this effect the homeless, but also those with a family and children. Because of their low income or environmental state and even poverty, not everyone has a fair chance of a proper nutrition. This is where the role of food banks comes into place as it limits these problems to these individuals. Through charitable events at school, I have participated in giving canned food items or food items that will not rot within a couple of years or months. Participating in these events not only gave me a ticket to partake in the well-being for others, but it also gave me a more understanding as to how many people are really impacted with hunger as well as other forms of their needs.

A direct action that resonated with me from the course readings was that of the Mass Hunger Clinics provided by the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty(OCAP), starting in 2005. The Mass Hunger Clinic resonated with me because it is, for me, something real. It is a struggle that I see every day at work with a lot of my students and I have been for many years part of the food for learning program with my school board. The lack of nutritious foods and the resources to obtain them is something that shouldn’t happen. It made me very upset to think about these families and the length they had to go to in order to provide for both themselves and their families. The OCAP developed these Mass Hunger Clinics as an “initiative focused on the special diet

While growing up, life as I knew it seemed to be great. I didn’t know the difference between the hungry and fed. Until middle school, famine was a myth. Realization set in upon learning more about the world. As soon as research, evidence, and lessons were placed before me, I wanted to know more. By the time age 13 hit, I started to live what I once wanted to learn about and strive to fight against. I realized that the fed can become the hungry.

Peace Corps Volunteers are widely dispersed in the countries where they serve. However, Peace Corps� medical supplies are often located at the post headquarters which can be over a day�s travel for many Volunteers. When Volunteers use the medical supplies that have been provided by Peace Corps they need a way to request replenishment of their supplies so the medical staff can send them out with the next quarterly replenishment schedule.

The Jacksonville Humane Society is on Beach Blvd, which is only a few minutes from my home. Getting there was easy, but there are a few buildings there and I wasn’t entirely sure where to go. I had to call Katelyn and ask her which building we were supposed to be in- which I hated because I hate bothering people- but Katelyn is one of the nicest people one would ever meet. I must also mention that I am terrible with directions, so yes, I still got lost trying to find exactly where Katelyn had sent me. Although in my defense, the sign is rather small and behind a tree. The only other shelter place I have been in is First Coast No More Homeless Pets, which is a newer facility and a gorgeous place for the animals.

If accepted into the Junior Volunteer Program, I believe that my relationship with the community will deepen and improve. If accepted, I would be interacting with people of all ages with different cultural backgrounds. This would allow me to have a deeper appreciation the community and its variety of cultures. I would be able to connect with the community. As a result, my relationship with the community would likely become more mutual. In the process of volunteering and improving the community, I will certainly learn new things that I have never learned before. For example, I have been to healthcare locations many times, but I have never seen what happens behind the scenes. This volunteer opportunity would finally allow me to experience what

I volunteered at the food bank for my service learning experience. At this site we sorted food and prepared packages for the people who needed food at home. We worked alongside the head of the nonprofit organization Kimberly Forstrom. We also got to meet a few other the other people that helped make the program run smoothly. Their roles were to help with all the food, sorting and making sure everything is good to eat and there is enough for everybody. I also thought it was really cool to see someone who actually runs a nonprofit locally .She shared with us that the way she keeps the program running is by the donations of big name brands like Walmart, making very generous donations.

One weekend we planted trees at a neighborhood park, and the following weekend we went to a local preschool and helped rebuild their playground that had been destroyed in a flood in Houston. Since then I have tried my best to keep my good deeds going. After moving to Kwajalein in 2016, I was moved by the massive poverty on the nearby Ebeye island. Because of this, I gathered my old toys from when I was young and donated them to the kids on Ebeye, seeing as they needed them more than I did. As well I have helped set up the last two basket auctions with my mom, and have volunteered at the Bargain Bazaar as well. When I temporarily moved back to the United States and attended Edmonds Community College, I wanted to keep volunteering in anyway I could. I went with some other people from school and helped pickup international students from countries such as Korea, China, Indonesia, and France. I knew how they felt moving to a new country where they did not speak the language, and decided to help them

Even though this is not my platform or the national platform I want to take this time to explain an event I helped co-organize back in October. “Community Conversation-Surviving & Thriving” was a free, three day event raising awareness for domestic violence at Dickinson State University. The DSU wellness program and I formed a partnership with Karen Van Fossan, communications director for the Prevent Child Abuse North Dakota. The event consisted of the clothesline project, a display of t-shirt decorated by survivors of domestic violence along with counseling services available for those in need. The short film “Authentic Voices,” featuring North Dakota survivors of childhood abuse which sparked conversation about how people survive their own challenges- whether it’s caused by nature, life or an injustice. The last

In the winter of the tenth grade, I was unexpectedly woken up by my mom, who was informing me that I had to volunteer for the Breakfast with Santa event hosted by CP24. In the moment, I was so angry because I had already completed my volunteer hours and now, what was supposed to be a relaxing Saturday turned into one where I would have to volunteer for hours. Upon groggily waking up, I realized that it was six in the morning, pitch black outside and snowing profusely. At this point, I’m begging my mom not to make me go, especially since I was already done my volunteer work. However, she told me that I would make a huge difference to the event as well as, the children that were going to be there. Unconvinced, I angrily climbed into the car and prepared myself

Volunteering is such a self-fulfilling action that a person can carry out in their community. Volunteering in a public or private institution is such a magnificent stepping stone in life, volunteers learn multiple skills that can be used throughout the rest of their lives. Ever since 2011, my summers were spent volunteering at the Westland Area Public Library assisting community members register and receive awards for the summer reading program. This volunteering experience assisted me in acquiring social skills, the ability to work efficiently, and the ability to work with others as a team.

The two most impactful volunteer experiences I have had are working at a food shelf and tutoring. The main reason why those two were so impactful were because I got to see such a huge amount of hope and growth within both groups. When I volunteered at the food shelf I made connections with not only the workers but the people who came as well. I got to hear how these men and women of all ages have persevered through such difficult times. That experience not only gave me hope that I can get through any difficult time but it also allowed me to acquire a different perspective on life. As for tutoring I loved getting to see the kid's personalities grow. However, there were some difficult times if I am being honest. This volunteer opportunity allowed

Volunteer involvement is very crucial for long-term sustenance of any movement. Official recognition of citizen efforts is also vital. AMC has recognized this role and a proper certification process are also established.

After recently attending the Oxfam Hunger Experience at the Atwood Memorial Center, I have a new appreciation for the widespread problem of hunger. It was an eye-opening experience that demonstrates the vast number of people that face hunger on a daily basis. It also illustrated the limited control people have over their situation.

This semester I am volunteering as the assistant to the school counselor at Kilmer Elementary School. My supervisor’s name is Kelly Anchors and she has been doing counseling for years in the Chicago Public School system, and this is her first year at Kilmer. Her work load has nearly doubled this year and that is why she brought me in. My job is assisting her and the other teachers with the high school application process for the eighth graders. My role includes doing administrative work and leading small groups of eighth graders. I have been doing training for weeks now on the application process and am very familiar with it, more so than she is, so I am there to answer questions for the kids and guide them through the process. Through this experience, I hope to gain a better perspective of what I want to do with my life and what career path I want to go down. I am using this to explore working in a school setting and see if this is the demographic that I want to work with. This will require me to do a lot of self reflecting throughout the year about what I am experiencing and whether or not I am enjoying it. I hope to increase my communication skills, especially with children because they do not have the advanced conversation skills as adults do. I also hope to form bonds with both the people working above me and the children I am working with.