[Faith-talk] volunteer service to the disadvantaged

Mon May 17 02:35:40 UTC 2010

This is good to know.

Anyone volunteer by sorting food and packaging at a food bank? How about at 
a clothing closet?
I might want to do that but wondered if you have to read labels.  Actually 
for the clothing closet where you sort by size and gender I'm pretty sure 
you have to read labels.

If that's not doable I'm sure I can find something to do to serve.  I feel 
good about serving and want to reach out to the community.
Ashley
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Greg Aikens" <gpaikens at gmail.com>
To: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>; "Faith-talk, for the 
discussion of faith and religion" <faith-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 12, 2010 3:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Faith-talk] volunteer service to the disadvantaged

> 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
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>>>
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>>
>>
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> 