Campus KitchenCampus Kitchen

Feeding the ImpoverishedFeeding the Impoverished

By Jo Mohan By Jo Mohan

Campus KitchenCampus Kitchen

• The dedicated staff of campus The dedicated staff of campus kitchen labor every day to bring kitchen labor every day to bring wholesome, nutritious, and appetizing wholesome, nutritious, and appetizing meals to the underprivileged in the meals to the underprivileged in the community surrounding Saint Louis community surrounding Saint Louis University. Campus Kitchen also affords University. Campus Kitchen also affords the students of Saint Louis University a the students of Saint Louis University a unique opportunity to help those in unique opportunity to help those in need while connecting with fellow need while connecting with fellow classmates.classmates.

Personal ResponsibilitiesPersonal Responsibilities

• Preparing FoodPreparing Food

• Packaging FoodPackaging Food

• Labeling BoxesLabeling Boxes

• Delivering Meals to Recipients Delivering Meals to Recipients

ImpactImpact

• Volunteering at Campus Kitchen Volunteering at Campus Kitchen taught me many things about:taught me many things about:– MyselfMyself– The people I worked with The people I worked with – The people that I delivered food toThe people that I delivered food to– The red tape surrounding charity workThe red tape surrounding charity work– The responsibilities of the full time staffThe responsibilities of the full time staff– The value of volunteeringThe value of volunteering

Campus Kitchen StaffCampus Kitchen Staff

• While working at Campus Kitchen I was under the While working at Campus Kitchen I was under the direction of a few different people, but the one direction of a few different people, but the one person who was personally responsible for making person who was personally responsible for making sure everything ran smoothly was Jenna Grimes.sure everything ran smoothly was Jenna Grimes.

• Jenna’s devotion to Campus Kitchen and to her Jenna’s devotion to Campus Kitchen and to her volunteers gave me a lesson in leadership and a volunteers gave me a lesson in leadership and a person to look towards if and when I am asked to person to look towards if and when I am asked to take on a leadership position at a social work take on a leadership position at a social work institution.institution.

• Jenna treated everyone fairly and was very helpful Jenna treated everyone fairly and was very helpful in making me and others feel comfortable even in making me and others feel comfortable even when things were slightly hectic.when things were slightly hectic.

Delivering FoodDelivering Food

• Delivering the food was by far my favorite Delivering the food was by far my favorite part of the job.part of the job.

• I loved meeting all of the people and I loved meeting all of the people and learning about their lives.learning about their lives.

• So many I expected to be bitter or angry So many I expected to be bitter or angry at the way their life was were so full of at the way their life was were so full of hope and faith in God and their fellow hope and faith in God and their fellow man.man.

• I was truly inspired by the faith of the I was truly inspired by the faith of the people I was helping.people I was helping.

• Their gratitude made it all worth it. Their gratitude made it all worth it.

My Fellow VolunteersMy Fellow Volunteers

• Working with fellow students really made Working with fellow students really made a difference in my volunteering a difference in my volunteering experience.experience.

• There were so many different types of There were so many different types of people volunteering for many different people volunteering for many different reasons.reasons.

• The beauty of it was how well we all The beauty of it was how well we all worked together, getting along flawlessly worked together, getting along flawlessly even when it got a little chaotic. even when it got a little chaotic.

Personal ImpactPersonal Impact

• Meeting the people I delivered meals to impacted Meeting the people I delivered meals to impacted me the most.me the most.

• I remember in class learning to never limit a client’s I remember in class learning to never limit a client’s potential for change, to never assume there is a potential for change, to never assume there is a limit to how much a client can achieve. limit to how much a client can achieve.

• Meeting these people, seeing their hope, Meeting these people, seeing their hope, dedication, and personal drive really drove that dedication, and personal drive really drove that lesson home. I think that some of the people I met lesson home. I think that some of the people I met do more in a day than I do in a month and still have do more in a day than I do in a month and still have a smile on their faces when we deliver them dinner.a smile on their faces when we deliver them dinner.

• Their faith inspires me to do more with my life, to Their faith inspires me to do more with my life, to work harder and use the resources I have to do work harder and use the resources I have to do more good.more good.

Knowledge GainedKnowledge Gained

• This experience was overwhelmingly This experience was overwhelmingly positive for me.positive for me.

• I learned so much about the difficulties of I learned so much about the difficulties of living near or below the poverty line.living near or below the poverty line.

• I also learned how much more needs to be I also learned how much more needs to be done.done.

• Now, I am beginning to realize that I need Now, I am beginning to realize that I need to be part of the solution to the existing to be part of the solution to the existing problem of poverty.problem of poverty.

Overall ExperienceOverall Experience

• Working at Campus Kitchen helped me by Working at Campus Kitchen helped me by teaching me the value of volunteering, the teaching me the value of volunteering, the difference even a meal can make, and the difference even a meal can make, and the impact fellow volunteers have on any impact fellow volunteers have on any experience.experience.

• I would recommend Campus Kitchen to I would recommend Campus Kitchen to anyone looking to expand their worldview anyone looking to expand their worldview and become more understanding towards and become more understanding towards those struggling with poverty.those struggling with poverty.