Visit #4

Today I learned about the backpack program. This is a program that feeds school children during the weekends. School kids that are qualified for lunch and sometimes breakfast at there schools come and pick up the weekends. During the time at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center I stacked the food for the Backpack program. I also put some of the food away in the pantry for later use by clients. By putting away the food in the pantry I saw how much little there really was. Especially in the peanut butter section. There was only two or three jars, but on the jelly side it was overflowing. This made me think how much they depend on what people donate and how much they donate. I wonder if every part of the PNC depend on the people who donate? I can’t wait to go back and help a little bit more with the struggle against poverty.

Visit #7

My last visit was a return to the clothes closet. There were a few donations but not many. I also had to fold the mens’ pants. Some donations weren’t suitable for being worn. I also put away many clothes and noticed that there were a lot more clothes on the racks than before. After putting away everything and sorting clothes it was time to go. Everyone was very nice to me during my time. I really enjoyed working and learning and the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center. I have learned about food, clothes, the backpack program, and toys. I leave feeling a little sad, but happy at the same time. I hope to visit the PNC again soon and help my neighborhood a little bit more.

Visit #6

The sixth visit was a little bit of everything. I cleaned up after the Christmas rush. There were clothes to be put away and left over toys to be stacked. I even packed a Christmas tree. That was a new experience for me. I also checked some dates on cans and boxes on donations, but the thing I did most was organizing. I organized with a lady who turned out to have worked a the Weekapaug Inn. What a small world it is. We chatted as we cleaned out a closet full of stuff. There were typewriter paper and floppy disk. They seemed to never throw things away. There are so many things to be done and so little time.

Visit #5

On this visit I did something a little different from food or toys. I worked in the clothes closet! It was a small area where they kept clothes donations and also shoes. While there I folded pants form all sizes. Most of the pants were larger than me. A few custermers came in and looked for clothes. There were also a couple donations. I sorted the donations into size and placed them in the correct places, but there were a couple of shirts that had some holes in them. The clothes with holes in them go to the Salvation Army, which is a organization that recycles the cloth into rags for workers and other things. Each part of the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center gets more interesting every time. I can’t wait to go again and help more people in my Neigborhood.

Visit #3

My third visit I did something a little different from food. I helped organize toys for Christmas! There was an ocean of toys in the second floor room. I sorted the tags and put different toys in big black garbage bags. I labeled the toys so that the families would get them. I also opened presents! The Pawcauck Neighborhood Center doesn’t except wrapped toys, which I found interesting. On closer examination it was nice to let the parents of the children wrap the presents themselves. I also carried some of the great big garbage bags out to people and gave it to the families. Also the PNC gave out wrapping paper as well and I thought that was very nice. I can’t wait to see what i will do next at the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center.