Today we went to a Wider Circle to help move furniture. We moved the furniture from the trucks and into the warehouse. The warehouse was dirty but clean in the same way.
The Wider Circle, a furniture and clothes warehouse, not only “widened” my perspective, but also enlightened me that people all over DC struggle with the cost of their needs. I was asked to work in the toys department, collecting and distributing puzzles and stuff animals around the “store.” It was amazing to see how high demand simple toys can be. Within minutes people would take the toys. Even though I did not have a personal experience with any of the people, I knew that for a little kid to take their own toy and to call it their own means so much to them.
Another job that was assigned was working with linens and baby clothing. The amount of clothes and bedding that had been donated was overwhelming in a good way because the demand for something as simple as bedding was so high.
When we returned from our trip, an AmeriCorps member, Mariah, told us her story about why she started working for YSOP. Mariah grew up in Colorado in a town named Greeley and last year she became homeless due to a natural disaster. Her experiences being on the other side of the service made her realize that she wanted to work for a non-profit organization. She joined YSOP to try and teach volunteers how to treat people without a home with compassion and respect.
Organizing like champs...
Blue Men Group
The capitol may be under construction, but that doesn't stop the YSOP'ers adventures
Today we went to a Wider Circle to help move furniture. We moved the furniture from the trucks and into the warehouse. The warehouse was dirty but clean in the same way.
The Wider Circle, a furniture and clothes warehouse, not only “widened” my perspective, but also enlightened me that people all over DC struggle with the cost of their needs. I was asked to work in the toys department, collecting and distributing puzzles and stuff animals around the “store.” It was amazing to see how high demand simple toys can be. Within minutes people would take the toys. Even though I did not have a personal experience with any of the people, I knew that for a little kid to take their own toy and to call it their own means so much to them.
Another job that was assigned was working with linens and baby clothing. The amount of clothes and bedding that had been donated was overwhelming in a good way because the demand for something as simple as bedding was so high.
When we returned from our trip, an AmeriCorps member, Mariah, told us her story about why she started working for YSOP. Mariah grew up in Colorado in a town named Greeley and last year she became homeless due to a natural disaster. Her experiences being on the other side of the service made her realize that she wanted to work for a non-profit organization. She joined YSOP to try and teach volunteers how to treat people without a home with compassion and respect.
Organizing like champs...
Blue Men Group
The capitol may be under construction, but that doesn't stop the YSOP'ers adventures
Hey everyone!
Today was a great day of service! We began the day at 7:45 with an orientation where we learned about YSOP’s mission. We also learned about the missions of each of the sites we will be working at, as well as some general information on the people we will be working with. We were assigned to go to a program known as “The Wider Circle” which provides high quality refurbished materials to low-income families who have just purchased/acquired homes. In addition to furniture, there were also sections for house ware, toys and baby clothing. They have an upper dock which serves as an area to load up the clients’ vehicles with their new furniture. The lower dock receives the donated furniture which in turn is sorted into categories where it is inspected for cleanliness, functionality and damage. Colson, Connor, Brad, Kieran, Charlie and Ashray all were sent to load and unload. Once any given piece of furniture is deemed usable, it was given a red sticker which meant it was ready to take upstairs to the showroom. We had 5-6 truckloads full of stuff being donated as well as 7-8 trucks leaving with stuff for clients. After leaving Wider Circle, we returned home to the church. The walk from the warehouse to the metro station was roughly 1 mile and overall today we logged about 10.5 miles.
Hey everyone!
Today was a great day of service! We began the day at 7:45 with an orientation where we learned about YSOP’s mission. We also learned about the missions of each of the sites we will be working at, as well as some general information on the people we will be working with. We were assigned to go to a program known as “The Wider Circle” which provides high quality refurbished materials to low-income families who have just purchased/acquired homes. In addition to furniture, there were also sections for house ware, toys and baby clothing. They have an upper dock which serves as an area to load up the clients’ vehicles with their new furniture. The lower dock receives the donated furniture which in turn is sorted into categories where it is inspected for cleanliness, functionality and damage. Colson, Connor, Brad, Kieran, Charlie and Ashray all were sent to load and unload. Once any given piece of furniture is deemed usable, it was given a red sticker which meant it was ready to take upstairs to the showroom. We had 5-6 truckloads full of stuff being donated as well as 7-8 trucks leaving with stuff for clients. After leaving Wider Circle, we returned home to the church. The walk from the warehouse to the metro station was roughly 1 mile and overall today we logged about 10.5 miles.
Since the beginning of this year, Will, Anna, Chan, Parker, and I have prepared to travel across the world to the continent of Africa, where we will be spending our time in Namibia. We have learned much about Namibian culture and history ranging from the Namibian Genocide in the early 1900s to their recent independence from South Africa. Interestingly, Namibia has the largest population of cheetahs in the world, which makes our experience working at the Cheetah Conservation Fund unique. Founded in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is dedicated to protecting cheetahs from poaching and maintaining their populations in the wild. The organization works hand-in-hand with live cheetahs, analyzing their DNA, and attempting to conserve genetic variation. We have the incredible privilege of visiting the CCF, and I hope that we can learn much about cheetah DNA and gain insight into the future of the species. We will also go to the Himba tribe and learn about their lifestyle without modern amenities. This experience should be eye-opening to the experiences of people less fortunate than us. However, I am most excited to stay in the Etosha National Park and search for big game. Richmond is a beautiful city, but with our faces constantly in our phones, we forget to appreciate God's beautiful creation. I know that this opportunity to see some of the most majestic, powerful animals will be awe-inspiring, which is why I cannot wait until we arrive in Namibia.
Since the beginning of this year, Will, Anna, Chan, Parker, and I have prepared to travel across the world to the continent of Africa, where we will be spending our time in Namibia. We have learned much about Namibian culture and history ranging from the Namibian Genocide in the early 1900s to their recent independence from South Africa. Interestingly, Namibia has the largest population of cheetahs in the world, which makes our experience working at the Cheetah Conservation Fund unique. Founded in 1990, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is dedicated to protecting cheetahs from poaching and maintaining their populations in the wild. The organization works hand-in-hand with live cheetahs, analyzing their DNA, and attempting to conserve genetic variation. We have the incredible privilege of visiting the CCF, and I hope that we can learn much about cheetah DNA and gain insight into the future of the species. We will also go to the Himba tribe and learn about their lifestyle without modern amenities. This experience should be eye-opening to the experiences of people less fortunate than us. However, I am most excited to stay in the Etosha National Park and search for big game. Richmond is a beautiful city, but with our faces constantly in our phones, we forget to appreciate God's beautiful creation. I know that this opportunity to see some of the most majestic, powerful animals will be awe-inspiring, which is why I cannot wait until we arrive in Namibia.
When we arrived in the airport and once we loaded up all our stuff on the bus, I really enjoyed the bus ride to Laguna de Apoyo. Seeing the malnourished animals on the road and the broken down housing made me sad at first, but also forced me to appreciate what I do have. I am really fortunate that I get to experience a culture that is so different from my own in the United States and excited to be experiencing a brand new culture for the next week.
Once we arrived at Laguna de Apoyo, I was struck by the natural beauty of the mountains, vegetation, and the volcano crater. The mineral water was awesome to swim in and everyone seems so hospitable.
Addie B.
My school has come to Nicaragua to work with Los Quinchos, and from the short car ride, I can already see the importance of this program in the country. We have done the research and heard what they do, but listening to a man who has dedicated almost 30 years of his life to the program, put more of these problems in perspective. Carlos made the important point of saying our care and confidence in the children are far more beneficial than simply giving them money. After listenting to our speaker, I think our group understands the magnamity of the problem for Nicaraguan children. Our short trip cannot form permanent solutions but can provide us with a sense of awareness to create more permanent solutions.
Mythili V.
We took the train to Washington D.C. Once we got there, we took the metro to Church of the Epiphany, which is our headquarters for the week. After we dropped our bags off, we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo and walked around for 2 hours. The best part of the zoo was Joe’s SWEET custom-made safari vest! He was also mistaken as a tour guide in his new vest. In the metro station, there was some trouble with the metro tickets (and also the train tickets too!). After the zoo, we went to an authentic Mexican restaurant, which was mistaken by many as a pizza restaurant. When we got back to the church, we heard a heartfelt reading by the one and only Ms. Seay (check out her fan page on Facebook!) which encouraged us to think about the effect on us and others, and was only scratching the surface on our deep reflection. Ms. Seay cares deeply about one sentence, which we will think about each night before we “lay our pretty heads down”: “You were sent to be nothing but a special mercy upon the world.” We’re getting ready to walk to the White House in the twilight, this misty dusk will surely make our journey valuable, but don’t worry, Joe will be wearing his vest in style with his bucket hat. We’re all exhausted, and will all sleep well!
The YSOP'ers were so hungry they could eat bamboo.
Dental hygiene is key!
No really...we went to the zoo.
From Allison: Traveling is always exhausting. I think we will all sleep well tonight and we face an early morning tomorrow. I think one of my favorite moments today was seeing everyone this morning at the train station with their luggage and air mattresses. There was something festive about it—even as we looked at the forecast and saw 90 degree weather for the next week.
I’m glad to be here—to get to know further some of the students I already know, and to meet and know some new kids as well. As I type there is an intense game of something that looks like a cross between dodgeball and soccer. And somewhere along the way somebody scored some starbursts and lollipops.
I think it will be a wonderful week. I am reading a new book called Hearing the Call Across Traditions: Readings on Faith and Service. It’s an anthology of readings including everyone from Ghandi to Mary Oliver, Abraham Lincoln to Thich Nhat Hanh; I’m especially drawn to the unique ways in which we will reflect on the complexity of service, and our call to act. And I hope to share a lot of what I learn with the students in the evenings…
We took the train to Washington D.C. Once we got there, we took the metro to Church of the Epiphany, which is our headquarters for the week. After we dropped our bags off, we went to the Smithsonian National Zoo and walked around for 2 hours. The best part of the zoo was Joe’s SWEET custom-made safari vest! He was also mistaken as a tour guide in his new vest. In the metro station, there was some trouble with the metro tickets (and also the train tickets too!). After the zoo, we went to an authentic Mexican restaurant, which was mistaken by many as a pizza restaurant. When we got back to the church, we heard a heartfelt reading by the one and only Ms. Seay (check out her fan page on Facebook!) which encouraged us to think about the effect on us and others, and was only scratching the surface on our deep reflection. Ms. Seay cares deeply about one sentence, which we will think about each night before we “lay our pretty heads down”: “You were sent to be nothing but a special mercy upon the world.” We’re getting ready to walk to the White House in the twilight, this misty dusk will surely make our journey valuable, but don’t worry, Joe will be wearing his vest in style with his bucket hat. We’re all exhausted, and will all sleep well!
The YSOP'ers were so hungry they could eat bamboo.
Dental hygiene is key!
No really...we went to the zoo.
From Allison: Traveling is always exhausting. I think we will all sleep well tonight and we face an early morning tomorrow. I think one of my favorite moments today was seeing everyone this morning at the train station with their luggage and air mattresses. There was something festive about it—even as we looked at the forecast and saw 90 degree weather for the next week.
I’m glad to be here—to get to know further some of the students I already know, and to meet and know some new kids as well. As I type there is an intense game of something that looks like a cross between dodgeball and soccer. And somewhere along the way somebody scored some starbursts and lollipops.
I think it will be a wonderful week. I am reading a new book called Hearing the Call Across Traditions: Readings on Faith and Service. It’s an anthology of readings including everyone from Ghandi to Mary Oliver, Abraham Lincoln to Thich Nhat Hanh; I’m especially drawn to the unique ways in which we will reflect on the complexity of service, and our call to act. And I hope to share a lot of what I learn with the students in the evenings…
