DESCRIPTION
There is a food bank taking place in my local area, and I will be one of the participants helping out. This food bank is part of the “Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos” (Spanish Federation for Food Banks), specifically for my region in the Basque Country. I will be volunteering in one of my local supermarkets with two of my classmates for 3 hours.
PREDICTED LENGTH
I will be working at the food bank from 18:00 to 21:00 on Friday 25th November.
CAS ELEMENTS INVOLVED
PERSONAL GOAL
ANTICIPATED LEARNING OUTCOMES
There is a food bank taking place in my local area, and I will be one of the participants helping out. This food bank is part of the “Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos” (Spanish Federation for Food Banks), specifically for my region in the Basque Country. I will be volunteering in one of my local supermarkets with two of my classmates for 3 hours.
PREDICTED LENGTH
I will be working at the food bank from 18:00 to 21:00 on Friday 25th November.
CAS ELEMENTS INVOLVED
- CREATIVITY
PERSONAL GOAL
- What do I hope to accomplish?
- How does what I'm doing help to accomplish the stated objectives?
- How will I know if I've achieved my objectives or not?
ANTICIPATED LEARNING OUTCOMES
- (Learning outcome #5): Demonstrate the skills and recognize the benefits of working collaboratively
- I will be working with my two classmates in collecting and organizing items. This food bank is also a collaboration with other people, as we will be engaging each customer that enters the supermarket, and it is their generosity that provides food for those in need.
- (Learning Outcome #6): Demonstrate engagement with issues of global significance
- Hunger is a significant global issue, that all countries face, although some more than others. Spain is a “first world” country, but there are still thousands of people who do not have enough to eat. By collaborating with FEBA I will be doing my small bit that, together with many others, is helping those people the nutrition they need.
REFLECTION:
I was there for about 3 hours, which felt like an extremely long time. I did my best to maintain a positive, engaging composure, smiling and greeting each customer, although after so many repetitions it was hard. Still, my two classmates and I worked well together, taking turns in handing out bags and collecting and sorting items. I have definitely met my first learning outcome, as I collaborated well with them, as well as the customers who entered the supermarket.
Something I did not expect was how this experience made me reflect on what it would be like to work in a supermarket. I had already thought previously that it would be boring and tiring to be in the same indoor place all day, making repetitive movements, but I realised that it is also monotone and exhausting in the sense that they are either sitting or standing all day, in artificial lighting. I know that this is the case for many jobs, but it was still new for me to experience it, and the lack of exercise and fresh air was noticeable. I believe I have accomplished my goals, as we managed to collect enough food to fill over three very large boxes. By volunteering my time and effort, I have made a positive contribution to the lives of those who do not have enough food. The evening was exhausting, and I arrived home with aching feet and a headache due to the lighting, but it was worth the fact that I have given my helping hand for those in need. In this way, I have met my second learning outcome, as I have shown engagement with the global issue of hunger, and have contributed a bit to help the situation. |
Later reflection:
We have been sent the sort of memoir/report for the year of 2016 of the Banco de Alimentos de Bizkaia. It includes all the details about the projects the organisation has undertaken, the volunteers and all its gains. I am actually really glad I have had access to this information because I now feel even more proud of my small contribution after seeing the overall impact.
The food and drink collected by this organisation goes to the people who need it in our region, those in danger of poverty and social exclusion, notably single-parent families, immigrants, people with no education, long-term unemployed people and children. There are a total of 237,000 people in danger of severe poverty, of which 100,000 are in the category of severe material deprivation (missing at least 4 of the 9 concepts/items of basic consumption). Reading these numbers, and even more details about the situation in a region that is actually much lower than the rest of the country left me quite astounded. But I also feel really glad I was able to contribute to another big number: 4,012,308 KILOS COLLECTED IN 2016!
The organisation works year round, holding food banks and food drives at supermarkets, schools, and other locations; it receives donations from food and non-food businesses and industries; and it organises a yearly "Gran Recogida", or big collection, that took place from the 25th to 26th of November. This is the one I was able to volunteer for, and lend my hand to the cause. There were a total of 5,000 volunteers working like me in 281 different locations of supermarkets in the region of Bizkaia, collecting a total of 950,000 KILOS!!!!!!!!!!
I was happy the day that I did it, but now I feel its true impact. Often in first-world countries and privileged societies we have an image in our head of situations of poverty being in far-away lands, the stereotypical "starving African child" and other people in third world countries. And, while that is evidently a huge concern, a global health issue, we cannot ignore what is happening near us.
We have been sent the sort of memoir/report for the year of 2016 of the Banco de Alimentos de Bizkaia. It includes all the details about the projects the organisation has undertaken, the volunteers and all its gains. I am actually really glad I have had access to this information because I now feel even more proud of my small contribution after seeing the overall impact.
The food and drink collected by this organisation goes to the people who need it in our region, those in danger of poverty and social exclusion, notably single-parent families, immigrants, people with no education, long-term unemployed people and children. There are a total of 237,000 people in danger of severe poverty, of which 100,000 are in the category of severe material deprivation (missing at least 4 of the 9 concepts/items of basic consumption). Reading these numbers, and even more details about the situation in a region that is actually much lower than the rest of the country left me quite astounded. But I also feel really glad I was able to contribute to another big number: 4,012,308 KILOS COLLECTED IN 2016!
The organisation works year round, holding food banks and food drives at supermarkets, schools, and other locations; it receives donations from food and non-food businesses and industries; and it organises a yearly "Gran Recogida", or big collection, that took place from the 25th to 26th of November. This is the one I was able to volunteer for, and lend my hand to the cause. There were a total of 5,000 volunteers working like me in 281 different locations of supermarkets in the region of Bizkaia, collecting a total of 950,000 KILOS!!!!!!!!!!
I was happy the day that I did it, but now I feel its true impact. Often in first-world countries and privileged societies we have an image in our head of situations of poverty being in far-away lands, the stereotypical "starving African child" and other people in third world countries. And, while that is evidently a huge concern, a global health issue, we cannot ignore what is happening near us.