Giving Back

Hey Everyone! Today I am going to talk about “Giving Back.” My definition of giving back to others in my community may be a little different from yours. “Giving back” is commonly associated with volunteering or philanthropy, but it can also be a random act of kindness for a neighbor, recycling your plastic, leaving a kind note on a stranger’s windshield, donating artwork, or visiting a nursing home. Growing up in a small town at a small private Christian school we frequently gave back to the community. We began volunteering at the local soup kitchen at a young age, we wrote letters to veterans, performed dances at the deaf and blind school, sang Christmas carols at the nursing home, and raised money for local charities. However, since moving across the country to California for college I have not given back in this way, but I have realized that a simple smile or conversation goes a long way. Today I encourage you to look up and acknowledge those around you. It is okay if you do not have anything to give, but a smile, a “hello,” or “tell me your story” can really make a difference in someone’s life. 

One issue that I recently became passionate about is that many homeless people are more likely to have inadequate diets and poorer nutritional status than housed U.S populations. Often the food provided at homeless shelters lack nutritional value and the daily nutrients to survive. After speaking with Jeff Shaffer, my community engagement mentor, we had the idea that I could use my internship at Pressed Juicery to begin to help out with this issue. At Pressed Juicery, we donate juices monthly to organizations and communities that we believe may benefit from our nutrition packed fruit and vegetable juices. I took my opportunity to the city council of Santa Barbara and asked them for recommendations and suggestions for possible donation locations. This was a cool experience because public comment was unfamiliar to me. It was actually pretty nerve racking, but I was prepared and felt that my voice was heard. I am excited to see what where we will go from here and my hope is to create consistent donations and fostered relationships.