Ryann Edwards

DOS 773

Fall 2023 Service-Learning Journal

Each semester I am required to fulfill a type of service. There are 3 categories for the 3
semesters- community, professional, and employer. Previously I have completed employer and
professional. This semester I have completed the community category. Community service
includes any volunteer event within your community in which you live or communities nearby.

To get involved in my community I decided to volunteer at Father McGivney Food Bank located
at Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish. I discovered this food bank from my grandmother who is a
member of the church and also volunteers with the food bank. The food is donated by the local
grocery stores Tuesday through Friday and is organized by the volunteers. The food is then
distributed on Monday to whoever is in need. I volunteered on one of their busiest days, which is
Thursday. They receive food from Walmart, Sprouts, Target, Frys, and Safeway on Thursday.
Some of the food is dropped off but most is picked up by other volunteers. Once the boxes are
unloaded, it is time to sort. The first step is to determine if the food will last until Monday-
unfortunately some will not make it and others are already expired. After discarding the expired
food, it is categorized by type (I.e. fruit, vegetables, rice, pasta, yogurt, etc). While organizing I
had the opportunity to make a “goodie box” for a family. The box included meat, rice, potatoes,
and other things including dessert.

This opportunity was unlike any other volunteer work I had done before. It was rewarding to
know the hard work we were doing was going to help someone in need. I also could not believe
the amount of food the grocery stores donated- and to hear that this is a regular amount donated.
It is nice to know that the grocery stores do not throw everything away and give back to the
community. Below I have included the volunteer ad and pictures of the food bank: