This fall I chose to volunteer at an event called “Feed the Funnel” at a gym on campus-Jesse Owen’s North, sponsored by an organization called The Pack Shack. This event took place on October 4th and lasted from 10pm until 1am the next morning. In this event we were preparing bagged meals, rich in vitamins and nutrients, for those in need. The meals we prepared that evening were Cheesy Rice and Vegetable meals, which contained 19 vitamins and minerals and were packed full of protein. My specific task was to weigh the bags after they had been filled to determine that each of the bag weighed relatively the same so each family would get a fully balanced meal. If the bag was overweight, rice was removed to be used in another bag, if the bag was underweight, I added rice to fill the gap. That night we packed 100,000 meals in 3 hours, and it was an amazing experience.
From this experience, I learned that I should never take anything I have for granted. I am fortunate enough to have three meals a day and a roof to sleep under at night, and not everyone has that. To be a part of an organization like The Pack Shack, even just for an evening, showed me I can make a difference in someone’s life and give them a luxury they may not usually have. Because of service learning I am better able to see the need in others and help them, rather than taking my own luxuries for granted.
Ohio State students participate in a service project for Kind Columbus in the Jesse Owens South Recreational Facility, where they packed 100,000 meals by the end of the night.