Community Experience: Food and Care Coalition

     Volunteering at the Food and Care Coalition was a great experience!  Its something that I have heard a lot of people talk about, but I've never had the opportunity to go until now.
     One of the first things I was impressed with is the way they go about training volunteers.  Its important to them that although these people have very little (or nothing) they want to give them the best they can.  They care a lot about cleanliness and friendliness.  They offer a lot of services to the needy: from showers and haircuts to mental health services.
     I worked in the kitchen, and was able to serve people as they came through the line.  Some of them seemed very dejected and didn't say much, while others were very grateful.  I found that I didn't really know what to say (nor did I have time to really get into conversation since it was a line) so I just smiled at them a lot.  It was interesting to note my own discomfort.  Partly because I was so unfamiliar with the setting, but also because I have so much more than them.  That was hard for me to grasp.  I may be a poor newlywed college kid, but I can buy groceries.  It really helped me to recognize the things I take for granted.  I don't think I felt guilty, but I can see that others need help and I'm in a position to give it.
     It was interesting to see the racial diversity:  latinos, blacks, and whites were there.  But it seemed that being there kinda put them all on equal ground.  They interacted normally as far as I could tell.
     After everyone had gone through my line, we started cleaning up.  I got to go out into the dining room and start sweeping.  That's when I got most of my interactions in. Lots of them acted like they were in my way, feeling like they needed to move if I came by with the broom.  It was like they were used to being shooed away by everyone. I talked to one woman (I forget her name) who goes there for all her meals.  Another woman there had her kids with her.  It was interesting to me that some people looked homeless or poor, while others really didn't at all. Some even had jobs but still were struggling. You really can't know exactly what a person is going through.
     I was impressed by the Food and Care Coalition. They focused on more than just feeding the hungry, but also helping those in need and inspiring those who have lost hope. The biggest thing I took away was that even small things (donations or volunteering) can help make a difference in a community.  But you have to do something to make that difference.