Contemporary Literacy-The On-Campus Food Pantry
Zachary May Human Experience Paper R.A. Brown, English 1103 March 28th 2015 There are many ways you could describe the way something makes you feel, or how contributing creates positivity through everything. I believe that it goes farther than that. With us tasked to shadow a person or place, my mind went directly to helping those in need. This hunger to help routed me towards the on-campus food pantry. Having trouble at first I was referenced to the on-campus food pantry, which was a perfect place to fall back on. The food pantry contributes to nutritious meals for those living off campus that cannot afford healthy meals at some points of the year. The pantry is physically located in the Colvard North Building, room 3135. I went to examine the location before even volunteering to help, and was able to catch 4 to 5 upperclassmen volunteers who gave me a great insight on what time and work they put in actually means to them. With some of the questions I asked, I could tell by the expressions on their faces that they really had to think about their answers. Getting these notes, I believe that great, humble workers such as themselves do not look on the side of the wall that is personal reward. They relax on the side of doing everything that they can to help every hungry student that attends school at UNC Charlotte. Just this first day of research had shown me the real aspect of being able to stay humble and do work that contribute to the greater good. Having one of my jobs at the pantry being a reviewer with two other volunteers, shown me every client who came to acquire food for that day, with the person usually wanting to stay confidential and receiving his wish. Seeing that person and knowing that they are struggling to even eat tore my heart some. Surviving a semester of college has shown me the personal and emotional toll it can put on you, and now visualizing these students’ hungry and stressed with due dates and school bills, it gives me great heartache. Being able to see the actual students in need at some points brings it to a more personal level in my opinion. Some do not want to volunteer for the sake of not wanting to feel bad for people, but in the power of emotion, it can be transformed into a different being, such as selflessness. Volunteering at a place such as this one is a great example of letting your emotions move to an emotion of humbleness, and giving to those who are struggling. A food pantry inspires both sadness and joy in ones heart. The sadness has to see the families in situations where they cannot support themselves. The joy comes with all the hard work and funds that are put into the pantry itself and many others across the country. We all know that the on-campus pantry has been a success, serving many each day, sadly. As it touches others to be able to serve the pantry, my own personal reward feels much greater. It is true that I was required to serve some time here, but I did not have to drag myself to do it after knowing who they really were. The pantry has given me a warmer heart, which makes me go through each day looking more positive in means. I have always felt some-what selfless but definitely not as selfless as I could be. I have been able to volunteer, but not as critical and vital as stopping hunger on a college campus. In my research I found that no one else is different that has to use the pantry, I see my own self in some that has come while I was working there. They are not different from any other; they just have fallen short and are in need. Being able to volunteer at the food pantry has created a more real view of the world and has shown me that this may be a bump in some student’s roads, but humanity has its way to serve fellow humans also. The food pantry on campus is something everyone should consider volunteering for. It will give you the discovery that helping ones in need puts a great toll on your positive heart. |