[Faith-talk] volunteer service to the disadvantaged

[Greg Aikens]

When I sorted it was more of a preliminary sort than actually sorting
things by item. They just needed us to separate the cans from the
bottles and jars. From there someone else sorted them by item. A lot
of the larger food pantries do things like an assembly line. If you
can find a point in the line where you don't need eyesight you are
good to go.

I never did serve food at the homeless shelter. I didn't feel
comfortable enough that I wouldn't miss their plate or something. I
stuck to washing dishes and cleaning but I always had something to do.

-Greg

On 5/12/10, Ashley  Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
> 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
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Faith-talk mailing list
>>> Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> Faith-talk:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/gpaikens%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Faith-talk mailing list
>> Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> Faith-talk:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Faith-talk mailing list
> Faith-talk at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/faith-talk_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> Faith-talk:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/faith-talk_nfbnet.org/gpaikens%40gmail.com
>