This week was my last week helping out in the food pantry and clothes closet for this semester. To begin the day I helped in the food pantry. I bagged items and restocked shelves. When business began to die down they asked me to help in the clothes closet and fold the clothes.
I really enjoyed my time at the Guadalupe Community Center this semester and I hope to return next semester whether it is a requirement or not. I really like the community and the people who live in this area. It was rewarding to know that I was making a difference by being there.
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Today I went in expecting to help out in the food pantry however when I got there I was asked to go to the clothes closet. I didn't fold clothes until about the last 20 minutes of my volunteering shift. Instead, I helped bag clothes and count the number of items the clients took. I did what I normally do in the food pantry but with clothes. I enjoyed working at the clothes closet desk.
I felt like I got to talk to more people while helping bag than I did folding. I felt like I made a bigger difference counting and bagging because I knew it was directly geared toward the clients. I also didn't see it as being pointless because they were taking these clothes home, I wouldn't have to fold them and put them on the shelf again.
Today I went into the food pantry and quickly began restocking shelves. My main focus was canned corn and green beans. I went through boxes of corn and placed it on the shelf. Then I went through cases of green beans and had to separate them by regular and french style cut green beans. Afterward I broke down all the boxes and took them to recycling near the back of the building.
I didn't meet very may people today but I enjoyed doing heavy lifting. I feel like the little things make a big difference. I really do enjoy restocking shelves. Sister Jessie is helping people everyday and if I help her but cans on shelves I'm helping them too.
Today I went into the food pantry and began restocking shelves again. After some restocking Sister Jessie asked me to help her with a client. She taught me how to document the items taken and what items to give each client. I learned the paperwork aspect and I gained a little more customer service experience. I also met a client that had a toddler and a newborn. I learned that there is baby food available but I had never seen anyone who needed them before.
I didn't get the chance to meet very many people however I did get to talk to some children and some of the other workers. Being able to directly help the clients is refreshing because too often I take the food and clothes that I have for granted. I really enjoy the food pantry.
This week when I arrived to volunteer I was told the Clothes Closet needed help. I helped clients hold clothes they wanted to take and I also organized clothes. I organized all the men's clothing and the children's clothing. I spoke with a mother of a family of 7 where one of her daughters was expecting a child. She was focused on getting some baby clothes early and getting her daughter some maternity clothes.
I enjoyed helping and talking with the clients in the center. I still feel like most of the work in the clothes closet isn't directly helping the community. I know that folding clothes will make it easier to find what you need however I feel like I am not helping many people face-to-face.
Today I went into the food pantry and quickly began helping Sister Jessie with clients. My focus was bagging items and taking the bags to the clients. When I finished with the clients that were there I helped stock the fridge with deliveries and organize the shelves. Afterward I broke down empty boxes and took them to recycling.
Today I got to talk to a lot of people. One person spoke to me about her daughter who had just given birth and how her son had passed away a few weeks before. Another woman spoke to me about her love for making cascarones and some ideas she had for other holidays not just Fiesta. I feel like speaking to there people makes a huge difference and I really did enjoy it.
Today the food pantry had clients up until noon. So I was very busy bagging items and helping the clients take the groceries to their vehicles. However, at noon a delivery came in and Sister Jessie had to go on break. Instead of her staying behind I told her I would put all the deliveries up since I was pretty familiar with where everything went. I also told her I would do a little more restocking for her.
I felt pretty good about myself this week because I proved I knew what I was doing. I was left in charge of the food pantry for a while and felt like I did a lot of work on my own. I really enjoyed being there and organizing everything. I was indirectly making a difference in people's life and I made Sister Jessie's day a little easier.
This should be 1 hour.