Washington D.C- week 2

This past week I went to Washington D.C and helped the homeless community through the YSOP program. For four days, we split up into groups of about 4 people and went to different work sites around D.C. On Tuesday, my group went to an organization called Bread for the City, where we packed bags of food to give out to the hungry. On Wednesday our group went to Rachel’s women’s shelter, where we painted shelves, sorted clothing, gardened, and served food. While our first day was quite fun and rewarding, we felt as if our presence was not being utilized by the people at Rachel’s women’s shelter. However later that day, all of the groups came together to prepare a picnic dinner at the Church of Epiphany for the homeless. This night was perhaps my favorite night of all because I not only met some very fascinating people, but I was also able to see that homelessness can happen to anyone. On Thursday, our group went to an elderly woman’s home to clean up her apartment. This trip was organized through elder buddies, an organization that sends in groups to clean up apartments that violate the building regulations and are verge of eviction. Later that day, we worked with Thrive D.C and helped build desks for their new offices that will help them spend less money on rent. Although we did not get to serve the homeless community directly, we were able to serve and prepare food on Friday. Overall, the week was extremely interesting and rewarding. I was able to step out of my comfort zone and interact with so many intriguing people. It was an enlightening experience that showed me a new aspect of society.

Asha Tipirneni