Day 1

My name is Angela and I am a student at the University of St. Thomas. I am in my junior year and currently study elementary education and have a double major in science and math for elementary education with a specialty in physics. My plans for the future include hopefully incorporating non-profit organizations/shelters with some sort of teaching. I work three jobs, but among them I work for the University of St. Thomas in the office of Service-Learning and Civic Engagement. Our main job is to connect students with service-learning opportunities and community partners. Through working here I have been exposed to many different organizations throughout the twin cities that work together to make the world a better place. It really inspired me and created a desire within myself to help, too. 
Last December, our office held a toy and warm clothing drive for a family-friendly homeless shelter in downtown Minneapolis called People Serving People. As we were dropping off the donations, I looked around the reception area and looked at the different faces in the main foyer. I saw elderly adults, young adults, small children running around, infants, a security guard, and people working at the front desk. We handed over the donations, and I do not know if I just have a soft spot in my heart for all toddlers, but one little girl running by looked up at me. I smiled at her. At that moment, something that I might call a passion started to form inside of me. I knew I needed to start volunteering here. I filled out my application a couple weeks later and I had my first orientation session just this past Monday. 
Upon checking in with security, three other volunteers and myself waited in the front entryway until the volunteer coordinator came to give us a tour. He was a friendly man who was excited to have us there. Some of the places we got to see were the cafeteria, classrooms for toddlers and infants, PreK, and older, a sample room, career center, library, and family lounge. The volunteer coordinator said that they receive many donations every day and they work with multiple community partners who help them be provided with the stuff they need everyday. There are many opportunities for volunteering options here. Everything from library attendant to meal server to early childhood helper is what is available for volunteers. 
After the tour, we watched an orientation video about a little girl who tells us what it’s like to be a child living in a homeless shelter. One thing that stuck out to me is how she doesn’t consider herself homeless. She isn’t sitting out on the streets with her family begging for money, she is living in a welcoming place where her family has a roof over their head and a place to sleep every night. We filled out a lot of paperwork and then we received our ECDP training so we could work with the little ones. I chose to work with the toddlers and infants. My coworker just reminded me that I will probably be getting sick often if I am working with the children. It was a short orientation, but I feel that next week is when they will be showing me how to do my job in more detail.