It has been a whirlwind adventure for Cal Poly Alternative Breaks here in New York City. Four full days of service combined with sightseeing in between has brought us many fulfilling memories. And the week isn’t over yet!
Seeing as this was the last day of service during the trip, I thought it would be a good time to reflect on our experiences. We have packaged food in the food warehouse in the Bronx, prepared and served meals at the food bank in Harlem, and delivered meals to the elderly all over the city. It is definitely hard to pinpoint what would be the highlight of my trip, I enjoyed every second of it! If I had to narrow it down though, I would have to say that my highlight of this week would consist of both Tuesday and Wednesday – Serving meals at the food bank and delivering meals to the elderly.
Wednesday’s service for the elderly made an impression in my life because of what I have previously learned here at Cal Poly. I am a Nutrition major, and last quarter I took a Nutrition and Aging class that taught us about the elderly population, and how nutrition is important as adults age. With this knowledge I was very excited to be able to hand deliver meals to elderly residents of the city. I realized the importance of our services that day, and of elderly services as a whole. Many of the residents we delivered meals to lived in high rise apartments, and with any kind of disability such as arthritis it makes it difficult to get to a grocery store to buy or cook food on a regular basis. The meals we provide them allow them to maintain their independence and also provides a sense of comfort during the day.
The second day that struck a nerve for me was serving meals at the food bank. This day was unlike any other because of the direct contact we had with people from all sorts of backgrounds. And regardless of this diversity, everyone shared a common purpose: to enjoy each other’s company and enjoy a hot meal. Our purpose was to welcome them and make sure everyone got enough to eat. When we first walked into the food bank at the beginning of the day the staff leader welcomed us with words I will never forget: “You're family now.” I think this set the tone for the rest of the day, because from there was definitely an atmosphere of love and support that families give to each other. I think this is especially important for where we were working because food, love, and support is what makes the days more enjoyable amongst the everyday worries or struggles that go along with what life throws at you.
Another thing the food bank taught me was a lesson about differing view points, and how important it is to hold back any judgments we may make when meeting someone, or passing by someone for the first time. I am currently reading a book called Let the Great World Spin, and there is quote in it that I think sums up what I mean by this. It reads: “All the lives we could live, all the people we will never know, never will be, they are everywhere. That is what life is.” To me, this means that there are people all around us who lead completely different life styles than us, which makes it so necessary to be able to find a way to relate to them. Putting yourself in someone else’s shoes from time to time, especially during the moments when you understand them the least is what brings people from all different backgrounds together, very much like what we saw in Harlem at the food bank.
OK, enough with the reflecting, we have a brand new day dedicated to seeing the sights of New York! Let’s bring on the adventures!
Madeline Kelly
3rd Year Nutrition Major
