February 17, 2023

Our First Day

Volunteering at a food bank has been on my list of thing to try out, since I heard about it in high school. This FYRE Capstone Service Project provided the perfect opportunity to help out the homeless in Harlem through the soup kitchen and creating care packages. I didn’t really know what to expect the first day, but it turned out to be a busy, yet fun day.

Mia and I walking to the nearest food bank in West Harlem with a cart of canned foods that residents at the dorm generously donated. We signed in, put on an apron, hairnet, and gloves, and headed straight to work. The most surprising thing about the food bank would be that they offer more than just food. They have different activities throughout the day, like dance session, history, and cooking lessons. A nutritionist was there to explain how to eat properly and supply the body with enough nutrients, in addition she showed how to prepare some easy meals.

Everyone working in the food bank was very friendly and hardworking. We were assigned to multiple tasks that day. We breaded fish fillets, mopped the kitchen, packaged hot meals, and gave weekend meals to people after they finished eating lunch and were heading out.