NY de Volunteer Newsletter Vol.10 English

Hello everyone! I am Mari, a NYdV staff member. I am.
The following reports are from a volunteer activity held on Friday, May 11 to support the homeless.

☆Report by Mr. Shuzo Kaneko☆
I decided to participate in this volunteer program because my wife who had participated before recommended it and I also wanted some new experiences. In this program, I helped the staff of an organization that supports the homeless on the East Side of Manhattan by providing food and medical assistance as well as helping them in their job searches.
First, volunteers were separated into two groups, one for providing lunch and another for organizing the library. After working on each task, the staff explained about the organization.
I was so impressed by what they told us. A security guard who used to be homeless said, “In this facility, there are some homeless who look cheerful, but they feel deeply sad in their hearts.” A maintenance staff said, “People tend to be prejudiced against the homeless but once you talk to them in person, they are wonderful people and I believe that it is not good to judge people based on the stereotypes.”
By participating in this program, I could get a better understanding of the circumstances of the homeless, and it changed the way how I see the homeless on the streets. I appreciate the staff in the organization and NYdV who let me have such a valuable experience.

☆Report by Mrs. Chiaki Kaneko☆
This was my second experience volunteering in a soup kitchen. This time, I volunteered with my husband. We helped providing lunch and organizing the library at Grand Central Neighborhood Social Service.
First, we had a warm welcome from the staff member, Kenyatta. After watching their promotion video, we were split into two groups. I was in the group providing lunch. We prepared vegetables and served lunch to the homeless. A lot of people looked forward to the meal and they seemed relieved while eating.
After the meal, there was a speech by staff of the organization. They looked very lively with cheerful smiles and they seemed to be proud of what they do, though I heard that they sometimes they experience difficulty in communicating with the homeless. A security guard who used to be homeless told us his own experience. I was moved by his courage to talk about his experience as a homeless person because I am sure it reminded him of the hardest time of his life. I appreciate the organization for giving me a chance to learn about the homeless.
After the program, I exchanged my opinions with my husband and it was a very valuable experience. Before this program, I just told my husband what I did and how I felt during volunteer activities. But this time, I was able to hear how he felt, and that made me think more by myself. This experience led us to talk about the values in our own lives with each other.
On the weekends, I usually go out with my husband to the movies or a museum, but it’s sometimes nice to participate in important social activities like this. I would love to participate in this volunteer activity again with my husband.

Let's make a difference!