After I graduated from college, I felt like I had no direction in my life. I had plenty of plans for myself after college, I was going to move to a big city, get my dream job, and start working on my Master’s Degree. Sadly, only one of those things happened. I needed up moving home, working at a call center as a health insurance agent, and I started working on my Master’s degree in integrative marketing communication.
As a health insurance agent, I left work every day feeling dirty. I worked in Medicare and sold prescription drug plans and I felt like I was cheating senior citizens a lot. The life I thought I was going to be living was not the life I was actually living and I was sinking into depression.
I wanted to turn my life around. I decided I wanted to start a career of giving back. I looked into non-profit organizations and decided to become an AmeriCorps volunteer. That’s when I found Cradle Beach Camp’s program, Project SOAR. The program works with inner-city at risk youth in Buffalo, New York. I have been serving as mentor to children in South Buffalo for almost a year now and I have never felt so fulfilled.
The Buffalo Public Schools are failing children constantly and the Project SOAR mentors are the shining light in a dull situation. The group of AmeriCorps members work tirelessly year round so that the kids in the program feel safe and feel loved, and although they’re only in their lives for a short time, they make a lasting impact on each other.
Review from #MyGivingStory