Volunteer Perspective: Trent She

TRENT SHE IS ONE OF THE REGULAR VOLUNTEERS THAT MAKE BREAKING BREAD POSSIBLE! HE SHARES WITH US HIS EXPERIENCE AS A VOLUNTEER:



I originally came to BSM for community service hours. I needed 100 of them for school and I passed BSM almost every day walking to the Starbucks on the corner. I thought it would be a perfect fit.

The first couple of shifts were rough. I didn't see it as any more than heavy lifting and plating food. It was just pure physical labor in the name of people who didn't care. I couldn't bring myself to leave though, not so shortly after I began volunteering. But 100 hours seemed so far away.

One Tuesday volunteer shift, I was serving a table when one of our guests started to seize. Now seizures were something I learned aboutin school: move the patient to a clear area and put the patient on his/her side. So Dwayne, the Building and Facilities Manager and I carried him to a clear area in front of the dining room. We put him on his side in case he vomited. Someone called 911 and within five minutes they were at BSM. I told them all I knew about our guest.

For the rest of the day, people started to open up. There were the good-natured jabs of 'doctor.' There were the looks of appreciation. I finally felt the connection thtat other volunteers had spoken so much of.

The one thing I've learned is that people experiencing hunger and/or homelessness are no different than you or me. They are the people who you'd run into everyday, some who happen to have health problems, some who may have made bad decisions, but most who just happen to be down on their luck. They wach the news, ride SEPTA, go to Starbucks and read Harry Potter. They span a wide variety of personalitites. There are those who are ungrateful and those who are callous. But most are gentle, kind, and practical. Almost all are eager to talk. And everyone's got a story. You just have to be willing to sit and listen.

I'm at 125 hours now. I try to come every Tuesday and Wednesday. I love the people I work with and the people I've met. I don't think I've made a huge difference in the world yet. But come back to me after I hit 150 hours. Or 200. Maybe that'll change.