About

GivePulse Stats

Groups

  • College of Liberal and Fine Arts

  • Engaged/Service Learning Courses

  • The University of Texas at San Antonio

  • Classes

    Impacts

    Seeking energetic volunteers to help fight hunger in the community- groups welcomed!

    On September 3rd 2016, I signed up to volunteer at the Kitchen Table which is a food bank located in New Braunfels, Texas. The mission of this organization is to provide food to individuals and families who do not make enough money to be able to provide food for their families all the time. I signed up to work from 9am-3pm, however, I did get lost on the way to the food bank and ended up arriving at 9:45am.
    As I entered the Kitchen Table, I went to the front desk and told them I was here from UTSA to complete my volunteer hours I had signed up for on Engage for my sociology class. The person at the front asked me to sign in and then to ask another person what I should start on.
    Rafael, the volunteer coordinator, began showing me around the establishment and showing me things I could start on. The first task I was assigned was filling up and organizing the “milk” case so that Kitchen Table customers could have milk available to them. Next, I was in charge of putting cans of applesauce and pears on the fruit shelf to replenish it. I then worked with three other volunteers, all high school students, and we worked to take tons of cardboard and trash to the dumpsters. It was very hard work because it was so hot outside.
    Rafael then showed me a HUGE pile of school supplies and backpacks which he explained need to be organized. So I along with 5-6 other volunteers from UTSA were in charge of organizing all the school supplies into categories (notebooks, paper, pencils, erasers, glue, scissors, crayons, etc.) and then filling up the backpack with supplies to give to children. The other volunteers from UTSA I worked with were not there because of a class, but as a group of friends that volunteers. They were a very nice group of people, all younger than me though. After the backpacks, I went through all the bread to find all the moldy, old bread that needed to be thrown away. Lastly, myself with 5-6 other volunteers worked to assemble 5 roll around tables.
    While working, I did ask Rafael a few questions about the Kitchen Table since I had never been to a food bank like the Kitchen Table and had never seen or experienced a place like the Kitchen Table. Rafael explained how people first have to fill out an application at the Kitchen Table, and the information on the application will show that the family or person applying does not make enough money to support themselves. Based on that, anyone can shop at the Kitchen Table. People just have to fill out an application, and then customers have a list of groceries they can take (2 fruits, 3 carbohydrates, 2 meats, 3 veggies, etc.) One strategy that could be used for addressing the issue of hunger would be to have a “Kitchen Table” on wheels that could bring groceries and essentials to individuals/families that do not have transportation.
    I really enjoyed my experience at the Kitchen Table. I felt like I was making a difference at the Kitchen Table, because for a second I imagined if I had not been there that Saturday. Given how I am not at the Kitchen Table every Saturday volunteering, in the big scheme of things, my impact may not be huge. However, I was very tired and sweaty after volunteering. Organizing things, throwing trashing away, moving things are all forms of manual labor which people who are committed volunteers endure.
    I had not known grocery stores just as the Kitchen Table exist. Based on the work I did at the Kitchen Table and the work I witnessed being done by other people, I think that the Kitchen Table is succeeding in achieving its mission. The Kitchen Table does help people every day; it is a nice way for people in need to get assistance.

    Gave 5.15 hours on 09/03/2016 with SOC 3283.002 Poverty