Final blog, Taking Action Project

As I had mentioned, I volunteered at the Center for Hope Soup Kitchen in Flint. This project really opened my eyes up to the problems that face our city. Until I had gone to the soup kitchen I never really thought about what it would be like to not have a meal everyday available to me at home. We take for granted so much and spend less time looking the other way. This class has opened my eyes up to issues I was not aware of, in my own city and in other countries. As upsetting all that was, it was very rewarding learning about all the good things people are doing every day to help. It is amazing how much of an impact one person can make.

                While I was at the Soup Kitchen, my supervisor was a lady names Brenda Supper (I believe that was her last name). She was in charge of the kitchen. We started out cleaning up from breakfast and then started preparing for lunch. I started washing dishes and then helped prepare some food. The high schoolers were there to help out and make cookies. During our break I asked the superviser Brenda some questions. I asked her how long she had been with this organization, “I’m 62 years old and had applied for a program called AARP, that puts people over 50 back in the work force. I was first sent to a different soup kitchen and was then transferred here. I’ve been here almost a year, a year in March.” She was a very tall women who was happy and positive. I then asked her what made her work significant, she then replied, “ how much people appreciate it, the people here are very appreciative and always tell me how much it means to them.” I had noticed that most of the people that had come in that day were men, so I asked her how she was helping womens issues in the community, she told me, “the women do come too, maybe not as often but they do come, I’m helping womens issues by you know making sure they have a meal available to them and we try to all be positive and welcome here, we have a great group of help here.”

                This project showed me that you can make a difference and it doesn’t really take that much, to you it may seem simple but to another people it may mean the world. Just to see how the people responded to my warm attitude felt amazing. You could tell that they really appreciated it and liked the company. I could extend my impact by continuing to volunteer at the soup kitchen, or by reaching out to another. I also have some information for other people I may know looking into volunteering.