NR725C_MaglaCh_Wk12_ServiceLearning_AlbanyCathedral
August
31 – September 16, 2014 – 4 hrs.
Being new to Albany, I had so many challenges
in finding agencies at the beginning. I contacted and went to different places
and area churches to find out if they have volunteer programs. After multiple
phone calls and meetings with different leaders and learning their different
organizational missions, I have decided to volunteer for the Albany Cathedral
Social Services. I felt that their mission fits with Regis` University`s
mission to the community. In addition, I have been attending Sunday masses at
the Cathedral since my relocation here at Albany, and being able to help at the
cathedral`s social services will help me in knowing my new adapted community.
October 23,
2014 – 09.00 – 12.00
My first service learning at Albany`s Cathedral
social services was a mixture of excitement, joy, and sadness. I was excited in
the sense that I can finally help the community. I was also sad knowing that
there are people out there who are barely making it and taking their lives on
day-to-day basis.
As I arrived today at the Social Services
office, I was greeted by Sister Margaret Mary who is the Social Services`
Director of the facility. She gave me a tour of their office and she provided
me with information on how the facility is providing services to Albany`s less
fortunate. Their facility is one of Albany`s food banks on where they provide
food assistance, as well as provide clothing to the South part of Albany`s
downtown area. The facility`s food supplies are coming from the government and
donated supplies from the people who want to help. The facility shares food
supplies from all Albany`s food banks. These food banks have certain areas to
cover, and are divided by zones. The facility`s relationship from other
facilities makes it easier for them to connect and refer people who are needing
help if they cannot accommodate them due to limited supplies available or
people that are not covered for their services based on their area of
residency.
After Sister Margaret gave me all the
information and a quick tour, she assigned me to meet the people who are coming
in. In order for these residents to get their food supplies, they need to show
their proof of residency and identification card. The first person I assisted
was a Burmese lady who cannot speak English. Getting her information was very
challenging as we were having problem in communicating. After minutes of doing
the “sign language” with Sister Margaret`s assistance as I was able to bring
her to the food pantry to assists her in getting her and her family`s food
supply. As we were going through the different food cupboards, I came to
realize how difficult it is to be in a country where you cannot speak the
language. I came to wonder how her and/or her family survives in getting
through their daily lives. Despite of the challenges we went through, we were
able to get her food supplies and she left with bags filled with food.
Aside from the assistance I provided with the
Burmese lady, I was able to assists Sister Margaret in getting the residents
signed up for their Thanksgiving dinner supplies and getting the residents` Christmas
presents.
November
5, 2014 – 09.30 - 12.30
Today is my second day at the Social Services`
office. No other volunteers arrived yet, just Sister Margaret (who`s assisting
one resident on his application) and me. Since I am a bit familiar on what I
needed to do, I just went directly to the food cupboards and checked if there
are food supplies that I needed to refill. I started re-stocking the fridge and
so on. Minutes later, other volunteers arrived and introduced myself, my
purpose of helping, etc. with my conversations with other volunteers, I
realized that most of them have been helping the community for quite a while –
others have been doing it for two more years or so. Most of these volunteers
are either retired or just wanting to help the community and make a difference,
and they do not live near the area either.
As the office opened, residents were coming in
to get their food supplies. I assisted the residents and helped them get what
they need. After all residents were helped, Sister Margaret asked me to make
food bags and re-stock the clothing racks. After the racks were re-stocked, other
volunteers and I re-stocked the fridge with fresh produce that nearby grocery
supermarkets donated. Then, a truck arrived filled with bakery goods, where we
then unloaded and arranged them in the cupboard for residents to see, and saved
some bakery goods to be distributed to other facilities.
My experiences at the Social Services were very
meaningful and enlightening to me. It helped me realize that I should nothing
to complain about, that I am still lucky and very privilege that I do not need
to go to food banks like these people that I get a chance to know. Before the
office closes, I spoke to Sister Margaret of my interest in continuing my
service after I completed my needed hours of service learning. She then offered
me to help out in wrapping Christmas presents and help in doing home deliveries
for those residents who cannot come to the office, or for those who do not have
a ride and no means of being able to pick up their food supplies.
With my experiences, I learned few things – to
be grateful of what I have and to learn to share my time in serving to others.
I do not need to be donating millions to charities to be able to help, but
there are other means of helping like sharing my time to the community.
