This post was written by undergraduate student Raziel Salamanca for Professor Christine Wilson's ENG 335 assignment, Writing as Social Action. It is part of a “Student Speaks” series on the RCL blog. In-post pictures were added by the editor.
There is something special about volunteering for a local community. Many times, we do not stop to think about how volunteering can leave an impact on our own communities and deepen our understanding of civic responsibility and compassion, as well as form significant social connections. It is nice to take step back from our day-to-day schedules and find ways we can contribute to our own communities with small or big actions.
In late January, I had the opportunity to volunteer for DU Ministry's monthly Come to The Table. This was a new and wonderful experience that allowed me to not only build connections with students and members of the community but also assist the local community at the Quinn Center (Maywood, IL) that rely on these food distributions for their families.
Taken from: Faith Justice | Dominican University
I was intrigued by the flyer of the service opportunity, and I scanned the QR code to log into EngageDU to view the details and RSVP. When I decided to volunteer for Come to the Table, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had never done a service opportunity like this before. The description noted that we would have to pack food bags and distribute them at the Quinn Center. I realized afterwards that volunteering for this service was much more than that. It was a unique experience to connect me to the heart of the community.
One week later, the day came for Come to the Table. The first time I walked into University Ministry, I was struck by the energy of the room as it was a calm and friendly environment. The center felt like a cozy little area. There were a couple of students in the center when I walked in. The students there greeted me and asked me if I was volunteering. After I told them I was, they welcomed me to sit at the couch or chairs near the tables until University Ministry staff finished their meeting.
After a few minutes, two members of University Ministry, Rachel and Kayla, entered with boxes of food we were going to pack to distribute at the Quinn Center. We needed to clean off the table and placed a tablecloth over before packing 100 food bags to distribute. The eight of us had an hour to make 100 sandwiches and place fruit and treats into each of the paper bags. We decided to split up the work so that each person had a task to do. I could see that everyone was focused on their task as we passed the food bags down to for the next person.
While we were packing, Rachel started an ice breaker to give us the opportunity to know each another. It was interesting to see students from different majors represented and to get to know each other a bit. Kayla told us more about what this service opportunity is and its origin. I found it incredible that this service started at DU for around 20 years. DU Ministry partners with the Quinn Center to aid local families that rely on these resources. After half of an hour, the table was filled with food bags ready to be placed and stacked into the cart and plastic bins.
University Ministry provided us the transportation to head to the Quinn Center, located within the St. Eulalia parish, and back to the University. When we got there, a group of individuals were already placing their food bags on the tables. We placed our food bags in sets of four with the rest of the other food bags.
The people at the Quinn Center were very welcoming and guided us through their process. They explained that some of us would go up to the people in their cars and asked them for a number of family members so we could make sure each person received a food bag. Two other students and I were in charge of sorting the bags into another plastic bag and adding either a cereal box or a bag of bread. Other students went up to the cars to distribute the food bags. Seeing the gratitude of the people driving by with their food was indescribable. Next, I helped sort the food pantry of the Quinn Center with two other students. I enjoyed organizing the shelves, especially because it allowed me to form a bond with this community and students.
The drive back from the Quinn Center made me realize that volunteering is such a rewarding experience that makes you grow as a person, get out of your comfort zone, and enact the civic responsibility we have to our own communities. I plan to assist the next Come to The Table service opportunity to become more involved and aid the local community of the Quinn Center.
I know many of us have busy schedules and it can be difficult to volunteer. However, I believe if you can find time - even if it’s for one or a couple hours per month - you will find something wonderful in volunteering and forming amazing bonds with people. I encourage you to volunteer for the next Come to the Table service opportunity. This wonderful experience will amaze you at how assisting local communities can truly make a long-lasting impact.
