Top 5 Social Expereinces

 HEA 447 Social Experiences Top 5 November 2024

#1 Michael Briggs Volunteers and Lives Life Full Circle

Here is more on Blogger Holly Springs Food Bank Volunteering

Michael volunteered three times at the foodbank; he writes about a time in his life when he was the recipient of when he was poor and then working at one. His ideas, feelings, perspectives, and what it means to help people in need. This took planning, intention, bravery, and goodness.

I’m remiss to admit this, but I was honestly behind on this project for a while. I signed up to volunteer at my local food shelter some time ago, after this project had all but slipped my mind, but it seems things have aligned. There was a point in my life, some years ago, when I myself was in need of assistance. Living paycheck to paycheck is no way to live, and I found myself applying for SNAP, or food stamps, as most people know them. While it helped, I made just enough that it netted me the smallest amount of aid, and so I found my way to the food bank. I’m not sure why the memories of this particular time in my life sprang up in recent months, but they did, and here we are. So, I signed up, and I was walked around the premises, explained the ins and outs of the operation, and I came in for several of my shifts. I call them that because I just can’t shake the feeling like it’s a job. It was mostly moving items, packing items, and sorting items, and so on. I’m a younger man, and every other person volunteering there at the food bank was easily twenty years my senior, if not more. I did much of the heavy lifting. Eventually, a different position opened up, one where the volunteers set up to help personal shoppers. Essentially, there’s an appointment only day, for people who have trouble finding transportation and other such obstacles. I wanted to interact with those we were serving, and so I signed up. It wasn’t quite what I expected. I was given a few lines to say by one of the older women who organize the appointment. Nothing I had to strictly stick to, but a kind of cheat sheet, I guess. Three hours asking people, “would you like two chickens, two beef, or one of each? We have an extra selection today; you can pick from one of the other proteins available. Please help yourself to anything you think you can use.” I said that one a lot, “please help yourself to anything you think you can use.” I said it to the older woman who came by, and I know this is terrible of me, I try not to make assumptions, but she was who I had expected. An older woman, maybe in her sixties, maybe in her seventies. She needed help down the few steps leading to my station. These are the people we set these things up for, the elderly, living alone on a fixed income. Maybe no family around to help.

 

 

 

 

 

#2 Lauren Overman Walks With People On the Hardest Days

Here is the reflection; more on Blogger.

Lauren writes about three people and their stories as an abortion doula and how income, power, poverty, gender, race, and place impact access to services. Her stories will stay with me for a while. Through stories like these, we can understand from the perspective of being (it is not just a statistic or a sentence) it is someone’s lived experience.

These are three of the hundreds of people I've supported in my five years as an abortion doula. These stories illustrate how unequal access to abortion care in America is today. Abortion bans and restrictions still impact those in higher income brackets and social classes; however, for these people, the barriers created only amount to inconveniences, while to more marginalized groups, such as those dealing with IPV and the unhoused, the barriers are like mile-high walls. It illustrates why advocates say Abortion bans are racist because they disproportionately impact marginalized groups. Today, we know of four women who have died due to abortion bans: Amber Thurman, Candi Miller, Jossili Barnica, and Neveah Crain. Amber and Candi died of sepsis caused by incomplete abortions in the state of Georgia after taking abortion pills. Neveah and Jossili died from complications of spontaneous abortions or miscarriages of their wanted pregnancies. Three out of four of these women are women of color; one was 18 when she died, and three already had living children. All of these women died years ago, but we are just now learning of their deaths. There are undoubtedly many more whose names we will learn slowly, only long after they die.

 

 

#3 Daneil Pineda’s Poem on Poverty and God

For this assignment, I wrote a poem about someone battling poverty and the journey towards getting their life back on track with the help of finding God. 

 

I need to get some more money,

I got to get some drinks and food,

It feels dark even when it’s sunny,

I do not wear tattered clothes to look cool.

 

Some money and maybe a little extra,

For some blankets and hopefully a room,

I cannot control the pain from my trauma,

Because I feel impending doom.

 

In a constant battle with my demons,

I cannot let them win,

When I write I feel them weaken,

So, I combat them with this pen.

 

For me, the path opened up, 

And God showed me the way, 

Thank the lord when I wake up, 

Just got to take it day by day.

 

Now I am looking back,

Reminiscing in the life I lived,

I learned from my past mistakes,

Now I won’t stop until I make it big.

 

Another day comes, 

I have conquered my fear,

I thought I could drive through life, 

But now I know how to steer.

 

#4 Sarah Coley’s Presentation, Living on SNAP

Sarah’s work is powerful because she budgets living on SNAP for a week with a toddler, meal plans, and purchases, and analyzes the costs of buying vs growing food in a $1:25 ratio. She addresses critical issues like food sovereignty, policy, and systems change.

 

 

#5 Hedaiah Volunteers at the North Texas Food Bank

Hedaiha’s experience shows me that we learn by doing rather than seeing. Her volunteer work was exhausting- seven hours of service and kindness to others. She heard stories from volunteers that changed how she thinks about poverty and homelessness.

I was in Dallas, Texas, for a few weeks and decided to volunteer at a soup kitchen on Saturday, October 26th from 9am-3pm out of curiosity, as this is not my usual community. Beyond my initial expectations, volunteering at the North Texas Food Bank (NTFB) in Plano, Texas, had a profoundly transforming impact. Despite not being a conventional soup kitchen, NTFB has a significant impact on the area's efforts to ensure food security because of its vital role in delivering food to shelters, pantries, and other groups throughout Dallas. I gained a deep understanding of the scope and cooperation needed to combat food insecurity after witnessing the behind-the-scenes labor that helps so many individuals who are malnourished.

The physical demands of the task—packing boxes, arranging food, distributing supplies, and cleaning—were exhausting during my nearly seven hours there, but they helped me better appreciate the dedication and fortitude of those who regularly work here. Collaborating with committed volunteers, each of whom contributed a distinct background and skill set, strengthened a feeling of unity. Our efforts were clearly united, as if every one of us were a little but crucial component of a bigger fabric of communal solidarity. The volunteers' varied backgrounds served as a miniature representation of the Dallas region, serving as a reminder to me that individuals from different backgrounds can unite to effect change.

One aspect of the event that had the biggest impact was interacting with food bank visitors. Hearing intimate stories from people and families shed light on the diverse situations that contribute to food insecurity, which is frequently depicted in general terms. Many guests shared stories of life circumstances that had put them in unexpected difficulties, such as illness, a family emergency, or losing their jobs. These stories altered my perspective on resilience by demonstrating to me that adversity may affect anyone and that assistance from others is frequently necessary for resilience. It became evident that food banks and similar institutions are vital lifelines for those going through challenging times rather than just locations for short-term assistance.

I am inspired to keep helping people who are homeless and living in poverty as a result of this experience. My conviction that community support, empathy, and direct action can forge real relationships and spur positive change was reinforced by seeing the commitment of the volunteers and the people in need of help. I now have a greater sense of appreciation and obligation to support laws and procedures that address the underlying causes of food insecurity and poverty.