[Faith-talk] volunteer service to the disadvantaged

[Ashley Bramlett]

Greg,
Thanks for sharing your experience.
When you did the sorting, did you do it tactually?
I guess you didn't have to have anyone read the labels on the cans and 
bottles.  Was everything in boxes and you sorted it out and placed on the 
right shelves?  What did the food pantry involve?  Yes I agree being a 
regular volunteer will enable me to
be familiar with the way things are done and where items are kept.  If I did 
something it would be on a regular basis.  How did you handle the
homeless shelter?  Did you memorize where things were?  If you served food, 
how did you know when they came up to get food?  I suppose if everyone spoke 
to you and said something like "here's my plate.  I'd like chicken and 
potatoes."  or something like that it would work fine since you'd be behind 
the counter and serve the appropriate things.
If you didn't serve food, what other tasks did you do?

Glad it worked out.
Ashley

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Aikens" <gpaikens at gmail.com>
To: "Faith-talk,for the discussion of faith and religion" 
<faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2010 10:07 AM
Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] volunteer service to the disadvantaged


> Hi Ashley,
> I have done quite a bit of volunteering at homeless shelters and food
> pantries and was always able to find something productive to do. I did
> usually go with others who knew me which really helped. Having a
> friend to go with at first might help you discover which jobs they
> have available which are more or less doable. Also, being a regular
> volunteer will help as you can have more time to get familiar with the
> way things are done and where things are kept etc. Even if the staff
> is unsure about how you can help, finding one thing you can do will
> help them warm up to you and maybe give you more opportunities to
> serve.
>
> Some things I found to do are: washing dishes at the homeless shelter,
> sorting cans, bottles, and jars at the food pantry, filling bags in an
> assembly line type set up at the food pantry or just opening up
> plastic grocery bags to give to others going through the assembly
> line.
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Greg
>
> On 5/10/10, bookwormahb at earthlink.net <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> Hi all,
>>
>> I am seeking volunteer service in a number of areas while I look for 
>> work.
>> We are called upon to help others, especially the disadvantaged.  I might 
>> do
>> two volunteer jobs to keep busy; I doubt one position will give me 
>> something
>> full time.  I am applying to the Smithsonian and hospitals for an office
>> position.  I also tried a nonprofit assisting those with mental health
>> issues called Crisis link.
>>
>> Those are my main ideas for an office position.  But on the side I desire 
>> to
>> do something to serve as a Christian.
>> Has anyone served at a homeless shelter, food bank, or soup kitchen?  If 
>> so
>> what did you do and what was it like?  I haven't even been in a soup 
>> kitchen
>> but have an idea what it might look like.  I have however, served food 
>> with
>> my church group at a women's shelter.
>> Another idea I had and I'm not sure I can do though is to sort and 
>> package
>> food items at a warehouse or food pantry or sort clothing donations.  I
>> don't know whether I need to read labels to do this.  Has anyone helped
>> prepare food, even sandwiches, at a soup kitchen?  Since its not my own
>> kitchen and I can't see where things are I'm not sure how doable this is.
>> Then I figured I could memorize things and I'd be in a group so I could 
>> work
>> around reading labels by asking people.  I'm not sure though.  Any
>> experiences and advice you have would be great.  What alternative 
>> techniques
>> worked for you and what did not?
>>
>> Ashley
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