Project Open Hand -- Grocery Center

My 10 advisees, who are rising 10th graders at LWHS, will be required this upcoming academic year to find an organization and volunteer for 40+ hours during the school year.  In solidarity, as well as to walk the talk, I decided this summer that I would start and do the same.  First, it's hard to get people to call you back.  I went to a couple websites, sent a couple emails and in one case talked to the volunteer coordinator at an organization....and nothing. Once you get in and set up, I will say that it's hard to give of your time in a way that feels worthwhile. I found an organization that has once a month work nights where they prepare backpacks to give out to homeless kids. There I was cleaning previously owned bags, to get them to as new as possible, and I was making up little ziploc bags of 8 Q-Tips each.  For a couple hours, it's ok, but I would rather be out working with the homeless themselves.  But finally, I found Project Open Hand

They have four programs.  Everyday, throughout about 15 locations in the city, they provide a hot lunch for seniors.  They prepare meals, most are frozen for distribution but many are delivered hot each evening for those who can't get out of there homes.  They also provide supplemental groceries for many who are ill or who's doctors believe they need additional nutrition each day.  The amount of food a person can get would be the equivalent of one solid meal a day.

Project Open Hand is located at 730 Polk Street.

I have signed up for a shift every Saturday afternoon from 12:30-16:00

Clients arrive in the waiting area.  They check-in, get a number and slip and then fill out their order.

Some qualify for the frozen pre-made meals.  The choices vary every week.  There are also Diabetic, non-Dairy and Vegetarian options.

All of them will get get this slip and they fill it out in the waiting area.  I've learned the difference between my proteins.....

...and beans and grains.

The protein and produce options vary each week. 

Once a client is done and their number is called, that's where myself and the other volunteers come in.  We take their slip and go back and "shop" for them.

Frozen meals case

Here's what a frozen meal looks like.

When it comes to produce, we do the best we can to get them the best.  The apples this week, not so good, but the oranges were excellent. Last week there was bok choy, this week, cauliflower.

The beans and grains section.

Here's the size of the bag of beans and grains.

Shopping! We usually get about 100 clients that come through during a Saturday afternoon shift.

Once finished, we wheel up to the counter and unload the items and the client bags them themselves.  If they brought their own bags, they can enter a raffle to win a free shopping trip.

Off to the side of the grocery center is the warehouse.  Here a volunteer is bagging broccoli into bags that clients get.

This type of service works for me.  There is just enough interaction with the people whom I'm serving plus there is the satisfaction of a finite task.  I get handed a slip, I go through, pick out what items are asked for and then I get to give the client something that helps them with their daily lives.  I'm going to keep this up all academic year.