Number of Participants: 13
Hours Donated: 3.5
Value of Time Served: $384
Event Type: Hunger
Sport: Girls Golf
School: Guilderland High School
Date: September 30, 2023
Location:
88 Fourth Avenue
Albany, NY
USA
About:
For many years as a teacher, I would bring a group of students to St. John’s/St. Anne’s Welcome Kitchen in Albany, NY. Every Tuesday and Saturday, they prepare a free meal for the community and serve guests as if they were at a restaurant. Those who come for the meal are living in poverty, have mental or physical disabilities, or even substance abuse issues, and don’t get the opportunity to eat at a restaurant with waitstaff. At the Welcome Kitchen, they do.
Those who volunteer have a variety of responsibilities: setting up the tables, chairs, and place settings, prepping the food, taking care of a table where you fill guests’ drinks, bringing them their meal and dessert, washing dishes, and cleaning after we are finished serving. My students have always gotten a lot out of this experience since we live in a suburban middle-upper-class area outside of Albany. By serving at the Welcome Kitchen, they get to see a world beyond their own and see the struggles of others.
I wanted my golf team to have a bonding experience and instead of going bowling, we volunteered at the Welcome Kitchen. My girls made me proud as they took on any job that was thrown at them. They got to work together and get to know each other better while taking care of others. They served with smiles on their faces and were eager to help those who came in the door. The photos I have shared are of them doing the setup and prep work as we aren’t able to take photos while the guests are there.