Why Do Small Things Make The Biggest Difference In A Community

I volunteered with Open Hands Atlanta for the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service and before I arrived at the volunteer site, I did not have an understanding of how impactful

As surprising as it may sound, I have been doing community service since the sixth grade and it is a new experience each time. It all began with a community clean up known as 'Keep McAllen Beautiful' as we got there everyone seemed excited to be there. It was beautiful to see such unity inside of my community, and I decided from then on that I would like continue helping out where it is needed. As I joined the National Honor Society my chances of providing my services increased, and I decided that I would assume a position of leadership when needed. I became the society's president, which allowed me to develop my time management skills, creativity, and efficiency. I organized an fundraiser for the hurricane Harvey disaster victims where all

The gift that my group performed for the community of Juneau, Alaska is snow removal. The group consisted of my two most trustworthy peers Marcos Yadao and Mitchell Laudert. We all understood that living in a small tight knit town such as Juneau; the smallest of tasks can have the biggest impacts. That is when the light bulb in our intellectual brains and the idea of snow removal came to mind. It was an appropriate job for the winter season. With heavy snow flurries in the forecast, this would be an achievable accomplishment. With the service in mind our next step was to pick a location. We did not want to select the wealthy neighborhoods because the residents there would probably be financially able to pay for such services. The location that we settled on was not a poverty stricken area, but the homes consisted of elderly residence. To avoid complications with the occupants of the home and explain our reasoning for the free service we wanted to only do homes were the residence weren’t present. That did not hold up to a standard when we actually got around to carry out the service. The whole point of going out and helping people of Juneau with their snow blanketed driveways, walkways, and porches too was to gain self respect and also to prove to the world that good can come from anything and anywhere too.

We donated our time to a charity during the fall, the JROTC program decided to do the Mana Cafe to help those in need. It was a food drive and people would help gather food together to deliver it to families that needed it for the winter. Everyone was pitching together and doing their part to get the food together and in the people’s car. Even in the cold weather, everyone was having fun, knowing that they were doing excellent in their hearts. Therefore that day families were allowed to eat despite their economic struggle and all as a result of the service we did to help them.

When I was eight years of age, I started to realize that there was an entire word outside of the town, state, and country that I lived in. I became concerned about the lives of others, even those that I didn’t know personally. I often thought “There are people in other countries that don’t even have enough water to live, and I am living an amazing life here in America”. Not only was I concerned for those people, but I took action to help them. It was then that I started a fundraiser to raise money for people that can’t afford the basic necessities to live in third world countries. To this day, I have been saving every penny I could afford to make sure other people can live a better life.

Counting the cases of water and realizing how much we had accomplished gave us all of great sense of pride. Witnessing the pallets being picked up and placed on the truck was an incredible feeling of joy. But nothing touched my heart more than reading the thank you letters that were received from the residents and children of Flint to say “thank you.” This made me realize more than ever the importance of volunteerism and giving back. It is our job as citizens to help those who are less fortunate. I was very proud to have been a part of the Flint water drive project.

A volunteering experience that holds a lot of meaning to me was being able to participate in a FCCLA Students Taking Action with Recognition (STAR) Event called Advocacy. As part of my class assignment, my partner and I first had to research a need in our community, state, or throughout our nation and then “advocate it”, or make it know, as well as find a solution. Our research quickly showed that Texas was ranked fourth in the nation for the number of children living in poverty and our own county was ranked 116th out of 264 counties in Texas for the number of children living in conditions below the Federal Poverty Level. This project went from being a class assignment, to a volunteer experience that positively influenced and changed my life in so many ways.

That meaningful time when I put my own needs behind me and worked toward the greater good was for my school Club Friends of Fisher House. This club works with the local fisher house in Tampa, Florida, as a club, we use our time to volunteer and raise money and collect items for the Fisher House. The Fisher House is a place for the loved ones of veterans to stay for free while the veterans are receiving treatment in the VA hospital. This club is the only such high school club in the united states thus the road that is being pioneered is a new one for many. Our club allows for the use of student time to be used to gain money for the comfort items that keep the Fisher house feeling like home to the many families that stay there annually. Joining this club has allowed for me to see how the house works and meet some of the families that are helped by the Fisher House.

“Every successful individual knows that his or her achievement depends on a community of persons working together” (Ryan). These words said by Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, reflects the words my parents would always say to me when I was little. I would donate old clothes that did not fit, or toys I did not play with anymore. Every summer I would volunteer at my town’s public library, as well as at my church. However, as I got older, doing the simple tasks at the library felt tedious and uninteresting so I stopped volunteering for a while. There were times when I had spare time that could have and should have been put to use volunteering, but I did not have the motivation. However, after being inducted into my High School’s National Honors Society, I needed volunteer hours in order to remain in it. This was the motivation I needed to begin volunteering again.

The damage was catastrophic and the town was closed to the public for several days. As soon as the roads were opened, I led a group of my teammates on the football team and contacted our coaches to organize a cleanup crew. The following day, most of the football team helped with relief efforts for several hours. Over the following days I made several more trips to this community to provide aid. Through my involvement, I was able to experience the overwhelming gratification that has come from knowing that I have helped several members of my community that were in dire need. This sense of togetherness has remained with me in everything I do and will continue to affect my actions and community involvement for the rest of my

Starting in October, and continuing until March, I completed over ten hours of service to those in need. In late October, I participated in the fall festival by “scaring” younger children who went on the hayride. Later, in February, some of my friends and I played bingo with the elderly at Sunrise. In February, as well, I visited my great grandpa, who I rarely see, with my dad and spent time with him. As I began to notice that my neighborhood was becoming dirty, in March, I spent about an hour picking up trash in, and around, my neighborhood. Since the beginning of the year, every Tuesday at lunch, I helped a fourth grader with reviewing what they were currently learning, otherwise known as peer tutoring. Through my actions, I helped others

Prompt #1 Throughout high school, I have looked to volunteer to give back to the supportive community in which I grew up. My junior year, I was eligible to become a member of the National Honor’s society. Through NHS in eleventh grade, I participated in the Polar Plunge to raise money for the special Olympics and various food and clothing drives. The summer of 2016, between my junior and senior year, I spent 30+ hours volunteering at Mayo Clinic Red Cedar. During my last year of high school, the girls’ basketball team worked at Community Table to prepare and serve food to residents in need.

In eighth grade, I reached beyond my community and took part in a Stop Hunger Now program. The goal was to package 20,000 meals in under two hours and we reached it with time to spare. We wrote a reflection after having engaged in this service event; I don’t remember exactly what I had written, but I do remember the contentment I felt after helping that number of people. I learned that I retain a sense of confidence and satisfaction when someone has a smile on their face as a result of my

Two years ago I began volunteering at a summer CCD program called Radiant Joy. I didn’t expect much going into it, and I had only volunteered on a whim. My expectations going in were low and I wasn’t expecting the experience to be stellar. Looking back on it today, volunteering there was the best thing I’ve done the past four years. My time spent there has shaped me into who I am today and changed how I think about myself, others, and the world.

I have been volunteering before I was old enough to know I was volunteering. As the youngest of four, I happily came along whenever my parents and siblings volunteered. But, community service is not just something I was taught to do; it is something I love to do. Today, I serve others in ways that are closer to my own heart. Serving people and animals “who don’t have a voice” has been and always will be central to who I am. I spent this summer raising awareness and funds for foster children, and I am excited to use those funds this November to personally decorate and deliver new duffel bags with supplies to foster children in my area. Additionally, I have loved dedicating my time to a local animal rescue where I have participated in animal