Jamie Price's experience at Soup Stop

1. I spent two hours on Monday, June 3 at a non profit organization called Soup Stop.

2. This activity reflected some of the concepts that we learned through two chapters we discussed in class: children that are disadvantaged and through housing disadvantages. First, there were at least ten children that came in and one infant. They received multiple free meals and one packed lunch to take home with them. Also, there were many people there that talked about where they were living. Many of the individuals did not have them own homes and were staying with a friend or family member. Most stated they were looking for jobs, but had no luck.

3.  While I was volunteering, I was able to talk to the women that regularly volunteer for this organization and two were on the board/ in charge. They were both very friendly, and shared with me their experience through this organization. Moreover, I was invited to come back whenever I can and was told I could tell friends/classmates about the organization because they are always looking for EIU students.

4. The effect this organization has on the community allows for people to eat multiple well-prepared meals. Also, they are able to get to know community leaders through this organization and can receive help or support from these leaders. Many of the volunteers working knew the individuals' names, and what they liked and didn't like. Also, this allows for children to get a proper meal for lunch during the summer time.

5. Overall, going to this organization and volunteering made me realize how many people in this community are not receiving proper nutrition and meals throughout the day/week. This organization is able to support multiple families and feel a personal satisfaction that they are able to help those not as advantaged as them. Moreover, I was surprised to see that I recognized some of the people that came through these doors. A man that I regularly see on EIU campus was there and I was told he was a "special case" and a regular for this soup kitchen. I was, also, surprised to see how the volunteers reacted towards some of the people with an attitude. Some of the people that ate here were very picky about their food, and when they asked for something else, I felt that the volunteers rolled their eyes or made a rude comment after the person left the room. The main person in charge came in to bring groceries and to help out and she was a very kind woman that was very understanding of peoples' needs and had no judgment or inappropriate comments. Another thing that surprised me was to see so many children there. Many families came in together, and there was one boy that had 3 full meals. Most of the people had 1 meal and a small portion of seconds. Overall, volunteering at this organization was a surprising and new experience for me and if I was able to have the time to do it again; I would.

Link Project-Kelsey Peters

1.    I volunteered at SACIS in Lawson Hall basement.
2.   When I volunteered I was given the task of working on a bulletin board for a presentation about working with children with disabilities. I was to find imagery for the bulletin. For this task I had to make sure I was using people first language and finding appropriate pictures that did not put disabilities in a negative light. One of the pictures I had found said disable children in a title and even though the picture was great I could not use it because that was putting the disability before the child. I had to put myself in the shoes of a child with a disability and think how I would feel if I saw these pictures. So I made sure that the pictures would not make anyone uncomfortable and portray a positive image!
3. I worked with Anne Wend. We talked for a short while about her experiences with family services and how I was feeling about my choice and where I wanted go when I graduated. She reassured me I was going in the right direction.  I was able to set up with her more time for me to come in during the school year to volunteer more. Even though I won’t be able to work with the crisis help line I will be able to participate with other activities that SACIS does.
4. This organization provides services to victims of sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment and support for family members.  The services provided include counseling, advocacy, referrals and information for anyone.  Presentations about prevention of sexual assault, sexual abuse and sexual harassment are given locally to help everyone understand the importance of not letting sexual assault go unnoticed.
5.     I thought that this assignment was really cool. I wish that SACIS would have had more work for me to do when I volunteered but since I cannot help with crisis hotline and since it is summer there was not too much I could do other than marketing things. However I did set up more volunteer work for the future semester and I am very excited about that! 

Hillary McKitrick

1.     I volunteered at Christian Social Services.

2.     Volunteering here brought me in contact with different situations and different types of people.  I’ve learned a lot from my FCS classes on how to handle certain situations, because FCS is an integrated profession.  We learn a lot about individuals, families, and communities and how to help in different situations.

3.     I gained information about how to deal with stress and certain situations.  I also learned how to be helpful to the clients when it comes to certain needs.

4.     This service helps many communities within a certain distance.  It helps individuals, families, and especially children.

5.     I thought this was a good hands on experience.  I learned quite a bit just from this assignment.  I learned a lot about how people are different, and I came in contact with many different people and many different views. 

Charity Dasenbrock Project LINK

1.       I volunteered at Catholic Charities in Effingham, IL.

2.       Catholic Charities uses many programs within their location, like the second hand rose retail store. The second hand rose is a retail shop is where people from the community donate their items to be sold for a cheaper price. Families who are at a much higher need for items and do not have the money will get a voucher for items with in the store at no price or at a much lower price.  For the people who do not have vouchers, will pay the discounted price.

3.       I volunteered at the second hand rose for an hour and networked with all the other volunteers that sort the items that people donate. They go through the clothes and sort summer and winter. In the Catholic Charities office, Subway brought in their old bread for catholic charities to distribute to the families in need. They also have classes for adolescents who have anger management problems and are offered once a week during the summer. Catholic Charities also offers free meals on Wednesdays for any children at West Side school in Effingham.

4.       Catholic Charities offers many families living in poverty items sold at a cheap price or they are given the items. This also gives the community a way to give back and to help out the people who are in need of help.

5.       I really enjoyed this assignment because I made my day better helping people and giving back to my community. I did not realize that Catholic Charities did so much for the community and for people in need. I also noticed at the second hand rose store that there were so many people in the community that shopped there. It made me realize that there were more people living in poverty than I thought.

Tiffany Project Link

1) I volunteered at St. John’s Lutheran Church in my hometown.

2) I was helping sort through the small food pantry that they have there, as well as their clothes closet. Any person who comes to the building needing help will get it. They keep this food pantry and clothes closet stocked, since they are open longer than the food pantries and Salvation Army stores in the area. As we learned in class, places that give out resources with limited hours can be a huge problem because if a person has to rely on transportation, walking, or a work schedule, they could miss out on an opportunity to get resources. As important as food is, it is a huge hurdle for people to be able to afford nice clothes for work or an interview. This church helps people overcome that by offering clean clothing as well as temporary jobs (usually at church members businesses or houses) so there is immediate money coming in for them. By providing these services, St. John’s is able to help combat the huge issues that these people and families face.

3) Working alongside the other people that happened to be there that day was the best part. I heard plenty of stories about the man who runs the program within the church getting a call at two in the morning because someone was knocking on the door of the church or sleeping in the doorway. He is in his seventies, and will still get up at any time of the night and open up the church. He’s even been known to bring people back to his house where he has extra bedrooms and make sure they have a hot meal and a place to stay. He is one of the people who inspired me to become an FCS major in the first place. Hearing stories about him always reminds me why I am going to school and what I hope to one day accomplish.

4) This program has helped numerous people and families get back on their feet. Many of the people that have been helped now regularly come back and donate food or clothing or help with the upkeep of the materials. It is known that this is one of the very few churches in the area that will not force someone to attend any services which I believe helps people feel welcome and open up more.

5) As this has been a rather stressful few semesters, this assignment allowed me to take the time and go do what made me want to go to school in the first place. It was a very refreshing reminder that I eventually will get to have more time to do this kind of thing again and hopefully, by having my degree, I can go even further and do even more. 

Elizabeth Kuenstler

FCS 4840

Project LINK

1  1.      I volunteered on May 31 at Catholic Charities in Mattoon, IL.

2  2.      Volunteering at the Catholic Charities reflected concepts learned in many FCS courses.  Some of the concepts would be helping people that are in poverty, homeless, or disabled.  Catholic Charities also gives to those that need food.  They put boxes together that will get a family through two to three days.  The size of the family depends on how much food the family gets.  They help people that have disabilities by providing them with walkers, wheelchairs, or even commodes.  The course FCS 4840 focuses on family and individuals that are disadvantaged.  The Catholic Charities is focused on helping those families and individuals that are disadvantaged.  While volunteering I was able to organize racks of dresses for girls that are not able to buy new prom dresses.  I felt great being able to get all of these dresses ready for girls to go to a fun occasion like prom or a wedding.  I know that it is stressful and discouraging when you have a fancy occasion coming up, but you don’t have to the money for a dress so it meant a lot to be able to help in that way at Catholic Charities.

3  3.     While I volunteered my time at Catholic Charities I was introduced to many of the main employees and volunteers.  Catholic Charities depends so much on volunteers because they do not have the money to hire more employees.  The two main people that I spent time with were the director and the manager.  They both were very busy and always on the move.  I could tell that they were very passionate about their jobs and helping those in need.  Knowing that they helped the most they could and all of organizations money went to those who need help, made me excited about being there and making a difference.  I gained the knowledge of how much time and money goes into helping people.  I also learned that by just helping for two hours people really appreciate your time.  Every little bit counts when it comes to volunteering and giving donations.  Catholic Charities would not be able to keep running if they did not have people volunteering and giving donations. 

4  4.      Catholic Charities has a big effect on the Mattoon community and surrounding area.  All donations go to helping people that are disadvantaged.  The organization has many ways of providing services to those who need it.  They have vouches that they give out to people.  They can use vouchers for baby formula or even for children that are disadvantaged in schools to get clothes.  Another service that they do for babies is that they put together a baby tub full of new items and clothes to give to the mother.  The manager said that they believe that every new baby deserves some new items.  Another great service that they provide are food baskets.  They put food in boxes that has enough for at least 2 days.  How much food they get depends on a person’s family size.  To get money to buy some of the products that they don’t get donated they sell items in their store for very cheap and they also sell items on Ebay.  Catholic Charities give back so much to the community and is a great organizations for families that need help. 

5  5.      I really enjoyed doing this assignment.  It made me feel good helping others.  Catholic Charities is great place that helps so many people in many different ways.  I hope that I will be able to volunteer there more.  They told me about a great back to school program where they prepare backpacks for children that are disadvantaged.  I hope that I will be able to help out with that program.  I think that it will be great for the children that need help.  By doing this assignment I saw how important it is to volunteer.  Many non-profit organizations depend fully on volunteers.  They can’t keep their programs going without the help of volunteers and donations.  

Alli Murphy Project Link

1     (1) I volunteered my time at Catholic Charities in Effingham.

2     (2) This experience reflected many concepts we have learned in most of my FCS classes. At Catholic Charities, there were many diverse people whether they be cultural, class, or age.  As going in with an open mind, it seemed as if while I was in the store, people were giving me the judgmental looks instead of the other way around. With the different families that came in, it truly showed how no matter what part of the spectrum you were one, you were not the only one who was struggling. We may not all be the same race, age, culture or sex but in some situations we may be going through the same things. There was a mother and daughter who was looking through clothes and the daughter was getting irritable and complaining that she was hungry. The mom explained to the daughter that she needed to take care of her and the rest of the family and she was going to have to wait it out till they found clothes for her other siblings. This is the trickle effect of how the family needs to provide for each other and still be able to focus on other aspects of life as well.

        (3) As I was working with the people at Catholic Charities, it made me feel like it was more than just a job to them. They were doing this because they were helping people who really needed it. In the beginning of my volunteering I was one on one with a lady. We were in the back putting winter clothes in storage. It was unbelievable to see how much they had in storage and how many summer clothes that were not even out on the shelves yet. I then helped other women sort through other items to see what was good enough to be put on the shelves or what needed to be tossed. It was amazing what people had brought that they thought that could be resold. The activity I did by myself for the majority of the time was going through underwear, bras and slips. I had to go through what was able to be sold and throw away what was soiled or stained. This gave me the opportunity to truly be thankful for what I have and also to observe the people throughout the store and how they shopped for their items.

I believe the most I gained from this experience was how blessed I am to be able to afford all these things that others had to pay little cost for. It truly is the little things in life that we shouldn’t take for granted and I saw today that that is exactly what these people needed. It was great to see so many volunteers there of all ages to help distribute all of these donated items and enjoyed being there. They loved having more help and were willing to teach me all the little tricks that made the day go by quickly.  

(4) Catholic Charities is a great resource for the both the Effingham and Teutopolis communities. It is in the middle of both towns which is centrally located. With the help of Catholic Charities, there is also a building with many resources for other disadvantages families may be having. This organization is very helpful for any family having trouble and there is no judgment once you walk into the front door.

5       (5) When I had to volunteer, it was difficult to decide where I wanted to put my time. I knew that my time would be appreciated and worthwhile wherever I went. I truly didn’t know what to expect when I first went in but I knew that I was going in with an open minded. My first reaction was “Holy cow, they have everything you need here”.  I was very shocked on what I saw when I was looking around. As I was going through all the undergarments, this is when things really hit me because I honestly couldn’t imagine re-using a pair of underwear. I felt extremely blessed for what I have and hate that things have to come down to that for some people. If that is one thing I could change I would buy all the underwear in the world so people wouldn’t have to re-use those. Overall, I am glad I decided to go to Catholic Charities to re-emphasis how much I could change a person’s day without changing the whole world because it all starts with a single act that trickles too many more.  

Ardent Home Health Care

            For my Project Link Assignment, I volunteered my services at a nursing home on a early Saturday morning. My church Apostolic Church of God does this monthly with the young adults as well as teens. I volunteered at this nursing home for the first time, not being aware of what I was getting myself into whether it be a positive or a negative experience for me. This experience for me was a positive one, simply because all asked of us to do in the nursing home was listen to their stories and entertain them. In the beginning I was nervous because from others stories elders can be very mean and intimidating. I was partnered up with an older lady named Isabelle; she had one daughter as well as one grand daughter. When I walked in she smiled at me and told me to come to her. As I approached her she told me that I reminded her of her grand daughter. Knowing this information allowed us to click automatically on a positive note. Our church was able to prepare food for them from the dining hall before we left the church. Giving them the food that was prepared already, they all were happy to receive the home cooked meal. While they were eating, some of the young adults that came with us were apart of the liturgical dance ministry as well as the singing committee. They had pre prepared a routine to a gospel song “Take me to the King”. This song was a very touching song for everyone, due to some of the seniors getting emotional as we watched them. This experience was great experience for me, simply because just being in their presence made me think about my own grandparents. It made me think about them in a way that if they did not a play a positive role in my life my life would probably not be how it is today. Loosing my grandfather made me closer to them, because I was able to relate to Isabelle based on her warm personality. She was very quiet and observant and that is exactly how he was warm and loving. Being with these seniors allowed me to appreciate life a little more, here these individuals had little or no family and you never could have guessed anything was wrong with them. I will one day like to get old, and represent my lovely grandparents who would give you the world. Just simply talking to Isabelle brought to a positive place at that moment. It really is a great feeling for someone to touch your life in a couple of hours by simply their presence and just a few loving words.

            This service activity reflected concepts learned in class simply regarding elders in nursing homes that are put in these homes based on their disability, or simply because of their living conditions. When we were able to bring food to them, it reminded me of the conversation that we had in class regarding alternatives meal plans for elders when they are not able to cook for themselves. Many of them do not prefer food that is prepared at the nursing homes, so many do not eat. The meal that was provided on this day was probably their first meal of the day and it was a meal that they enjoyed. Doing this particular volunteer service will bring positive actions towards the community simply because the church has made this a habit for many nursing homes in the Chicago land area. Others outside of the church realizing that the church has participated happily with this good deed will maybe allow other churches as well as families to help bring happiness to many nursing homes across the land.

Project LINK

TeShawnda Mosley

June 3, 2013

Project LINK

 

 

1.      I decided to volunteer at the teen reach center in Charleston IL.

2.      While I was there I got a chance to talk to a couple of pre-teens and observe how they interact with one another. This activity reflect concepts that’s been learned in this course and previous FCS course because we learned about helping people and about diversity and how approach different situation while taking other people feelings in consideration. In this course we talk about poverty and race and at the teen reach center they have a lot of different ethnic groups and a lot of children that are going through different situations.

3.      I got a chance to talk to the man in charge and he was telling me that he and the children really love when people come to volunteer because the children get a chance meet new people and develop a friendship. He also says that volunteering at this type of organization looks good when you talk about community service. I gained a lot of knowledge about the organization.

4.      This organization helps the community in a big way because it keeps teens and children off the street when they get out of school. They help families in major ways; they help children with their homework

5.      I personally enjoyed myself when I volunteered because I enjoy being around children no matter what age they are. They always have big and bright imagination and great stories. They remind me so much of myself when I was younger because I use to love coloring and drawing pictures with my friends and playing board games. Overall, it was a good experience I love volunteering here.

Julie Lavaire

Link Project Assignment

1.   I did my volunteered time at SACIS  (Sexual Assault Counseling and Information Services)

2.      The service activity concepts learned in my current FCS course is that I learned that there are many way to help people.

3.      I networked with other professionals by interacting with them and learning the different things that they do to help people.

4.      The potential effect that SACIS have on the community is that they help people that have been victims of sexual assault. They also provide counseling hotlines so anyone that needs help or has questions can call them.

5.      My reaction to this assignment was that it was really interesting working volunteering with SACIS because it gave me a narrow view of other things they do. I didn’t really get to work with sexual assault people. What I did was design water bottle labels to put on water bottles for a parade. I believe that this could be related to our class because even though I wasn’t really working with sexual assault victim but I was designing information for the bottles that provided the information needed for people that are victims of sexual assault. On the labels it provided information about SACIS which could be useful for a sexual assault victim because the bottles provide contact information about SACIS.

Seong-Oea Hibner's LINK assignment

Seong-Oea Hibner

Project LINK

1.     I volunteered at that the Heritage Woods assistant-living home at 480 West Polk Ave in Charleston.  

2.      The service activity reflected the concepts we learned in class by learning about how the elderly is disadvantaged. Many residents commuted by wheel chair or walker. I met one resident whose family visits frequently. She goes to church every Sunday and she recently got her nails painted. I played UNO with her. She stays active in the assistant-living home by participating in Bingo and being social during meal times. She is an active resident. I met another resident who does not have family visit her. Her family lives in Decatur, but they do not come out as much. She was very happy to have me talk to her and hold her hand. The residents were disadvantaged because they could not take care of themselves independently, had hearing loss, and had memory loss.

3.      I networked with the facility professionals by asking them how I can help. She replied by moving the residents into their rooms after lunch, and to converse with them. She asked if I was involved in a sorority because many sororities come to get hours. I told her this was for a class. Once it was time to go, the facility members helped me leave.

4.      The potential effect of visiting the assistant-living home is powerful because it can brighten a person’s day. It makes the resident happy and feels special that someone came to stop by and say hello. Many residents do not have family that visits them, so they are extra happy to have a kind stranger come. I asked a resident how his day has been. He replied boring, and the time is going to slow. Although he was bored before, he enjoyed my company and offered some advice to me. When I first walked in the assistant-living home, I felt that I was there to give them something, but after talking to some residents I felt that they gave me a little something too.

5.      I felt that visiting the assistant-living home was a great experience. I enjoyed talking to the residents. I went there two times with Maggie Childers. The first time I went with a friend, Doris, who goes there often. She knew many residents on a first-name basis and they remembered her name. They smiled when they saw her coming and conversed about their day. Many residents were very happy to see her. That was really nice to see because I saw how my friend was making a difference in the residents day. The second time I went, the residents I met before remembered my face and smiled. They were very friendly. I encouraged them to do well in Bingo. I played UNO with a resident twice. I talked to about 5 residents. They repeated their stories, but it was nice to listen to them. I think many times, the elderly wants someone to talk to. They just stay in their rooms, and that can get lonely. It was nice going and talking to them. Sometimes, the hallways somewhat smelled, but I did my best to be nice to everyone.
If I had a family member in an assistant-living home, I know how important it is to visit him or her frequently. It can get lonely and depressing living there alone. I appreciate that the facility does their best to care for the elderly and that the residents have the opportunity to feel like they are part of a community.

I learned that it is important to have an open mind while visiting an assistant-living home. Sometimes, I felt uncomfortable because of the smell, or think a lot about what is the best way to talk to them. I talked to them with a fellow classmate, Maggie Childers. She came with me both times and we helped each other talk to the residents. It is nice to have a buddy to go together. 

Project LINK Assignment-Lindsay Lief

1) I volunteered at the PADS shelter in Mattoon, IL

2) Going to the shelter reflected many of the concepts that we have learned in class.  Some of those concepts would be homelessness, poverty, and hunger.  These concepts are important for all Family and Consumer Sciences professionals to know and understand.  I think that these concepts as well as others are taught all throughout the Family and Consumer Sciences field of study.  The PADS shelter runs solely based off of the donations from others to provide hot meals for the guests that come there every night.  The shelter also allows for both men and women to stay in the shelter overnight.  It is primarily first come first serve for the hot meal as well as the beds.  Men and women are not able to stay in the same bed; even if they are married, and they have to stay on separate sides of the room.  The shelter supplies two meals for those in need, but there are some stipulations.  If a guest stays overnight then they are able to receive breakfast before they go out for the day and then there is a dinner provided.  The shelter also has a few washer and dryers that are available for each guest to use.

3) While at the shelter I talked with many different people; including the director of PADS because I was there early.  I was taking with him about the normal amount of people that are usually at the shelter at any given night, and he gave me a brief overview of different rules the guests had to follow.  He made a point to make sure that the people there were guests; not homeless or people of poverty.  I was also discussing with the couple and their son that were also volunteering their time in the kitchen to prepare a hot meal.  They were telling me that they volunteer every week at the same time and prepare the dinner for the guests at the shelter.  They also were telling me how in the past few years how the amount of people volunteering their own time has declined as well as the amount of donations that the shelter receives on a daily basis.  I learned a lot from the people that were there volunteering their time as well as running the whole shelter.  The director was very helpful in trying to explain a new grant that he was applying for and how it would help the guests of the shelter.  The people that volunteered that the shelter were also very helpful with giving a personal insight on how the shelter works and operates.

4) The effect that the service organization has on the community is supplying for those who cannot supply for themselves.  The PADS shelter offers many incentives for the guests that stay there.  They receive a hot meal, a warm bed, laundry facilities, and a hot breakfast in the morning.  Along with all of those perks they have people there that genuinely care about them and their well-being, people go there and feel like humans again. 

5) Overall, I enjoyed this experience it made me feel good about myself.  I know that stating that could come off a little self-centered but that is just how I felt.  Knowing that I was helping others with no reward in return for myself was really self-rewarding.  I will definitely be going back to PADS to volunteer my time and if not at PADS then somewhere in my hometown; Mokena, IL.  

Project LINK: ICCS- Monica Reiher

1. I volunteered for two hours at the Illinois Coalition for Community Services (ICCS) in Charleston on 18^th street with Melissa Shain. Melissa gave me a tour of the facility and Teen Reach. To raise money for ICCS they are organizing a rummage sale for this Saturday. I volunteered my time on June 3 from 10:30-12:30 by organizing clothes and sorting it into categories and pricing the items.

2. The ICCS refers resources to people and families who are in need. They will aid them by giving free food, gas cards, counseling and also referring them with information on how to get other resources from other agencies.

3. I networked a lot with the five ladies who work in the office. They were all extremely nice and knowledgeable. While talking to Melissa she gave me other contacts that I may be interested in doing an internship at for graduation. Before leaving she gave me her business card and said to call for anything and she would be happy to help. She is an Eastern Illinois alumni and after volunteering for the two hours, I feel I have networked which will help me get an internship.

4. This organization is extremely needed in the community. They offer many resources and referrals to people in need as well as helping children who have ran away from home or are locked out of their houses. If a parent no longer wants the child Melissa must fill out paper work and either place them in a group home in Decatur or Champaign or DCFS takes over the case as well as custody of the child. The mission of ICCS is to aid as much as possible individuals within the community.

5. I absolutely loved my two hours volunteering at ICCS today. I learned so much about all the resources available to people within Charleston. I did not know anything about the ICCS prior to going there to volunteer except that they help people but I was not exactly positive on how. I am now very interested in either doing an internship at ICCS or at the other two agencies she mentioned to me. I enjoyed this experience and would like to volunteer again there maybe even at Teen Reach with working with the children.

LINK: Maggie Childers 

1. For my volunteer hours, I volunteered at the Charleston nursing home and Rehabilitation center. 

2.This nursing home reflected concepts I learned from class because I could watch out for signs of elder abuse. For every person I talked to, I ask them how they were treated in this environment. I think it made me more aware of how the elderly are really treated. Also I could reach out to them and really get to know who they were and what they liked

3.I networked with a women who volunteers much of her time in the community. Using that network I could use her someday as a reference or just with help finding a job. 

4.I think more people should take the time to visit at the nursing homes. They love having visitors and people to talk to them. Having that will have the morale of community rise up. 

5.I absolutely loved going to the nursing home. Many of the residents’ faces would light up whenever they would see us walk in. They do not get very many visitors and it is a shame because they love to talk. One women kept saying how thankful she was and how much it meant to her that we were there. I almost broke down because it was so obvious that they needed people to talk to. I kept picturing my life if I get that age, how I would love for people to come talk to me. I want to go more often and I really hope I find the time to do so. 

-->

-->        St. Stanislaus Catholic Church Soup Kitchen -Lauren Zitkus

-->

I volunteered at St. Stanislaus Catholic Church Soup Kitchen. Which is located in Chicago, Illinois.

Going to the soup kitchen reflects many of the concepts we have learned in class. Some examples would be hunger and homelessness. We talk about these subjects in most if not every FCS course I have taken. For example when we leaned about how funding for soup kitchens and other services are becoming less and less. I saw this at the soup kitchen I volunteered less. It is mostly the volunteers that bring in the food for the individuals who come in.I know the bakery in my town donates all their leftover food to my Grandma on Sunday and she bring it in to the soup kitchen on Monday.  

I networked by talking with all of the other individuals that work at the soup kitchen. My grandma and a lot of the others there volunteer every week. Talking to Sister is one of the coolest things; she has so many stories about the soup kitchen and the people she has gotten to meet.

The soup kitchen has a big effect on the community around it. The soup kitchen is open Monday to Friday and they can get food as many times as they want as long as everyone has had one meal. This soup kitchen helps the community around it because the homeless individuals in that area are getting enough food to feed them for the day.

I have always enjoyed going to the soup kitchen with my grandma. We have been going since I can remember. It is crazy to see some of the people that were coming when I was nine years old are still coming now when I am twenty-one years old. It is sad to see how many people are homeless in the city of Chicago, but every person that comes into the soup kitchen never looks depressed or sad, they always have smiles on their faces. I know that Family Services is the right major for me by just the feeling I get going to the soup kitchen and the way I feel after I leave the soup kitchen. The connections you feel with the individuals that come into the soup kitchen is just unreal. I really enjoy helping others and cannot wait to do much more.