On Friday, November 15, 2013, I volunteered with Campus Ministry and joined my peers on a Homeless Food Run. Not only did I organize food into bags and deliver them to people who truly deserved it, I was able to get to know the people I served with through prayer and simple conversation. In two hours, which seems like a relatively short amount of time, I connected not only with the Washington, D.C. community, but with my fellow students at Catholic University. Delivering food to these people was such a rewarding experience and I definitely plan on continuing to donate my time to participate in the Homeless Food Runs. When we first met up with each other, we were given instructions by the supervisors.
Fortunately for some of Chicago's homeless, they too have a similar place to turn-Inspiration Cafe, located in the Uptown community. Since 1991, Inspiration Cafe has served good-tasting and healthy meals to homeless individuals in Uptown and has provided them with a variety of comprehensive services. The Cafe was founded by Lisa Nigro, a former homeless in her community. Nigro began feeding the homeless in Uptown by carting around a red wagon filled with bagels and juice that she would serve to people waiting in lines at local shelters and soup kitchens.
As a society in general, I believe we focus too much on ourselves, and we get upset when we can’t make certain purchases, without thinking of those who really don’t have a penny to their name. I’m aware now of how widespread poverty is, especially compared to what I used to believe. Without a doubt, because of the places I’ve been, I’m now more informed about our society, and looking back, no place has made more of an impact on me than visiting that small homeless shelter in St.
There are many people who have jobs but are still homeless because they cannot afford things due to our very bad economy. Others are Vietnam veterans who have gone through so much in the Vietnam War that their lives will never be the same. The most common reason for people being homeless is people who are mentally ill. Some cannot pay to get treated and end up on the streets because no one will hire them which makes it almost impossible for them to receive money. You could be well educated and have a well paying job but still be homeless due to our current economic situation.
And it gets worse. Just the other week, I turned down a bus twice only for it to rattle a jaunty arrogant pace. Fuming doesn't even come close to how I felt. I don't deserve to be treated like something on the bottom of the driver's shoe; I'm paying for a service and this shouldn’t happen. Let’s take those complete and utter assholes, the behind the wheel.
I meet his mom and his wife, I was happy that I met them the very day and chatting with you classmate after years it was a good feeling. I couldn’t think that my day as miserable, it was few hours back but now my ride back home will not be that ruff. I had lunch with Sudan near the bus terminal and I set off to Pondicherry the same afternoon. As he waved bye I took my seat and start to write. I don’t know will she come back to me nor will we ever meet again?
One elderly woman who we delivered to would sing to us as she came to the front door “good meals, good meals, good meals.” She is one woman that I will never forget. First going into this, I was elated knowing I was I getting out of the office for a few hours. I did not comprehend the fulfillment I would receive from delivering meals to the elderly and disabled. But I am pleased and proud of the work that I have done for Meals on Wheels. There is no better feeling than doing something for someone else and seeing such gratitude for something so simple.
I felt a slight wave of hunger flow through my body, so I suggested to my mother that we have a light mid-morning snack to tide us over before lunch. I searched through a cupboard and found some crackers to take with us. It was going to be a hard day, and although I knew the people at the church would probably bring snacks and refreshments for us, I wanted to be sure that I had a full stomach on which to work. I wouldn't realize the true meaning of hunger, however, until my day of work on the postal workers' food drive was done. My mother helped out at various times throughout the year at volunteer events in the community.
All throughout America the homeless wander aimlessly looking for a way out, a way back to being treated as people, a way back to their old lives. These are people who have great potential, Many of which had jobs, family, and money. But then something caused that to disappear, and now they need our help. The problem the homeless face is not that they don 't have the incentive and motivation to go and retrieve themselves; it 's the lack of help from the communities they live in. Too often the homeless are left on the side of the freeway holding signs begging for money, with no answer.
Before this trip I never thought about the homeless because I thought that all homeless people are lazy and do not want to work. Since this experience, every year I travel to a poverty-stricken city or country and volunteer to help with the homeless crisis. I