Volunteer Experience Essay
Youth Volunteer Corps of Greater Kansas City has impacted my life the most. It has sparked my passion for giving back to the community and has influenced me to continue volunteering when I go to college.
With this group, I had the opportunity to go to the local Willa Gill Center and package CARE packages for the community. The CARE packages contained basic needs such as toothpaste and shampoo, and special items like nail polish and makeup. After we packaged everything, we were able to sort out clothing and cans that were going to be distributed the next day. Working behind the scenes and helping the workers prepare was very rewarding.
I also worked at a local animal rescue center. I do not enjoy working with animals, but I put that aside to …show more content…
It was my favorite activity because it was a celebration for the homeless. It gave them hope and essentials before they had to endure the cold winter. A group of us were able to pass out clothing, bedding, and toys to those who waited. I also helped serve holiday meals to people, which included turkey, macaroni, and pumpkin pie. It was rewarding to see everyone eating nice meals while a band played holiday music in the background. For a moment, everyone could forget their situations and enjoy the presence of others. At times, it was overwhelming because we were helping hundreds of people, but in the end I enjoyed it all. I learned the most from this event because I saw parents that were trying to provide for their infants and people who had homes but could not pay for their basic utilities, all desperately waiting in line to receive clothing and bedding. This gave me a new definition of what homeless means.
Altogether, being in the Youth Volunteer Corps group has allowed me to mature by seeing how much poverty is around and making me realize how grateful I should be. I have met new people and have become friends with people I thought I would never talk to. It has showed me how much fun you can have if you keep an open mind. The experiences I have gained will help me in the future as I move away from home and deal with diverse personalities and people from all walks of life. I
With this group, I had the opportunity to go to the local Willa Gill Center and package CARE packages for the community. The CARE packages contained basic needs such as toothpaste and shampoo, and special items like nail polish and makeup. After we packaged everything, we were able to sort out clothing and cans that were going to be distributed the next day. Working behind the scenes and helping the workers prepare was very rewarding.
I also worked at a local animal rescue center. I do not enjoy working with animals, but I put that aside to …show more content…
It was my favorite activity because it was a celebration for the homeless. It gave them hope and essentials before they had to endure the cold winter. A group of us were able to pass out clothing, bedding, and toys to those who waited. I also helped serve holiday meals to people, which included turkey, macaroni, and pumpkin pie. It was rewarding to see everyone eating nice meals while a band played holiday music in the background. For a moment, everyone could forget their situations and enjoy the presence of others. At times, it was overwhelming because we were helping hundreds of people, but in the end I enjoyed it all. I learned the most from this event because I saw parents that were trying to provide for their infants and people who had homes but could not pay for their basic utilities, all desperately waiting in line to receive clothing and bedding. This gave me a new definition of what homeless means.
Altogether, being in the Youth Volunteer Corps group has allowed me to mature by seeing how much poverty is around and making me realize how grateful I should be. I have met new people and have become friends with people I thought I would never talk to. It has showed me how much fun you can have if you keep an open mind. The experiences I have gained will help me in the future as I move away from home and deal with diverse personalities and people from all walks of life. I