Volunteering Time = Unbelievably Rewarding

It is one of the most beautiful compensations in life...that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

This past weekend, I volunteered with Panera Bread (my client) and United Way for Southeastern Michigan's joint partnership program -- Impact Your Neighborhood. It was a wonderful experience for me and the quote above truly embodies what I felt like upon leaving the volunteer site.

Although it was only a few hours of time, it was so rewarding. A group of 20 of us (pictured) worked at Vista Maria, a nonprofit child welfare agency for girls and their families, based in Dearborn. The organization works with young women, approx. ages 11-18, to help them overcome past hardships and recover from histories of abuse, neglect and other traumas. These girls have been through so much that I cannot even begin to imagine...the least I could do was pull some weeds on their lawn and play games with them!
(Fun historical fact: The organization started to take shape in the 1930s when a group of Detroit nuns bought the land belonging to the Ford family for just $1!)

Volunteering always brings clarity to my life, hence why I jump at any opportunity I can make time for. I was reminded of why I do this while working with all of the amazing people that showed up...One guy explained to me that he was an exchange student from Taiwan and volunteering helped him practice his English with patient people...I laughed and then he continued to explain how so many Americans have taken the time to help him -- volunteering just a few hours of his time was the least he could do to give back to America. Hearing him saying that almost brought me to tears...in a world that feels so corrupt and jaded at times, it was refreshing to be surrounded by so many genuinely civil-minded individuals. It also was pretty cool to realize these folks were definitely not just there for the free food...volunteering was just simply something each of the people found necessary to do.

My experience just proved to me once again that sometimes it really is the small things we do -- or the few hours of time we dedicate to others that can make us feel like a million bucks.

Reminder: We All Have a Place in this World

I came across the story below through our clipping service for Panera and it struck a chord with me. Originally published in The Fenton Press, the story serves as a reminder to all of us that we can find our own life's meaning through action to others in many different ways.

Homeless man puts me in my place
by Julia Zaher The Fenton Press
Friday June 27, 2008

Each Sunday evening when Panera Bread in Fenton closes, I pick up all the unsold bread and baked goods, which the company donates each night to various nonprofit organizations.

On Mondays, my first stop is at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church on the east side of Flint, where the food is used for the Saturday soup kitchen. I've seen a lot of little miracles since I began volunteering at the soup kitchen. One of the most memorable occurred during Memorial Day weekend.

I picked up the bread as usual Sunday but because of the holiday, no one was at the church Monday to receive it. Everything had to stay in the back of my Jeep until Tuesday.

On Monday afternoon, a neighbor asked me if she could get a ride to her friend's house just north of downtown Flint, where we live in a historic apartment building.

We stopped at a drugstore on the way, and she bought me a bottle of water to thank me for the ride since I wouldn't take gasoline money.

I dropped her off and headed back downtown. Driving down Saginaw Street near the University of Michigan, I saw a man picking through a garbage can. He opened a discarded food bag looking for something to eat. I circled the block to catch up with him and rolled down my window.

"You need some food, man?" I asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Meet me at the back of my truck," I told him.

(My dad likely is having a fit as he reads this. Trust me. When you work with street people, you learn who you can approach and when it's best to keep moving.)

I parked, got out and popped the back door to dig into the Panera stash for him. He was an older black man with no front teeth. I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

"You saw me looking in that trash can?" he said as he started to cry.

"Yes. Look, if you need food, don't be ashamed. You just need a little help. I can help you," I said.

He threw his arms around me, hugged me and sobbed for several minutes.

"It's okay. You just need a little help," I said. "What can I give you? Cookies? Bagels?"

"I don't eat no bagels. Can you give me some cookies? I need sugar."

I loaded him up with cookies and baked goods.

"I just got out of jail, and I ain't got no money, no place to go," he said, still crying.

He carried a plastic bag with his worldly belongings.

"Look at me," I said. "What's your name?"

"Charles."

"Charles, I'm Julia," I said.

"Julia? That's my sister's name. Someone told me that God loved me, and here you are. You saw me eating from that garbage can. How did you find me?," he asked.

"I just saw you, Charles. And you looked hungry, and I have this food. I knew I could help you just for today."

He hugged me. I gave him the still unopened bottle of water.

"Can you get into one of these men's shelters?" I asked.

"I can't get in today because I've been drinking, and they'll know. They won't let me in," he said.

"I know. But you can eat this sugar. Let the sugar calm you and don't drink, okay? And then tomorrow, get into a place. Now, Charles, look at me: no more booze. Just the sugar, okay?"

"Okay," he agreed.

Just then, two other men came walking along who recognized Charles. They were volunteers from a local men's shelter, arriving just in time to pick up where I left off. I left Charles with cookies and the bottle of water from my neighbor.

On the way home, a sob caught in my throat. Panera Bread supplied the bread. My neighbor supplied the water and the reason to leave the house right at that time. God supplied Charles to remind me that I have a place in this world.

And on that day, it mattered that I was in my place.

Volunteer. One morning. Free breakfast. Free lunch. Free T-shirt (see above).

Make an IMPACT in metro Detroit.

See here. Sign-up here.

United Way for Southeast Michigan & Panera Bread of Southeast Michigan present:

IMPACT Your Neighborhood

Volunteer Opp: Team Up with United Way and Panera Bread of SE Michigan

Here's a great volunteer opportunity that's going to be taking place around the metro Detroit area. It's with United Way of Southeast Michigan and Panera Bread and is called "Impact Your Neighborhood." The program is series of various volunteer events and are just a one-day (just in the morning) commitments.

I'm super excited about this program because not only is a great way to help out, but it's a perfect opportunity for us people out there that don't have a whole lot of extra volunteer time to devote to a single organization.

Here's the line-up of events through December:

Saturday, September 8, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. @ Vista Maria, an organization dedicated to helping at-risk girls (ages 11-17) based in Dearborn Heights. Volunteers will meet at the Dearborn Heights Panera location.

Saturday, October 27, 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. @ Lighthouse PATH in Pontiac. This organization helps out homeless mothers and children. Volunteers will volunteers will participate in a Halloween craft activity with the organization’s women and their children and will meet at the Bloomfield Hills Panera locations.

Saturday, November 10, 10 a.m. – Noon @ First Step, a domestic violence shelter based in Plymouth. Volunteers will assist with an outdoor and indoor beautification project and will meet at the Plymouth Panera location.

Saturday, December 8, 9 a.m. – Noon @ Gleaners in Taylor. The volunteer activity will be to sort and pack donated food items for delivery to homeless shelters and other area non-profit organizations -- perfect for the holidays! Volunteers will meet at the Southgate Panera.

To sign-up to volunteer, visit the United Way website at www.uwsem.org/panera/ or call (313) 226-9200.

All you people, let me know if you can make any of these events, I'd be happy to go with you!