I have been volunteering for several year and have found my experience to be incredibly positive. The staff make me feel like a part of the team and a part of the solution for the thousands of guests who rely on Bread & Life for support. I tell my friends and relatives to consider Bread & Life when making charitable gifts!
This is a wonderful organization to work for. The staff does incredible work and they make you feel at home. I would recommend anyone to volunteer here and see for yourself the good they do and how much support they offer those in the community who need it.
I started volunteering to St. John’s Bread and Life about three years ago, with a group of volunteers from St. John’s University. My first tasks, was to register clients to vote for what was then the 2008 Presidential election. I quickly fell in awe of the people I started having conversations with, both with the clients and with the faculty. St. John’s Bread and Life holds a sense of community, which far exceeds expectations. These clients, many who are of low economic and social standing, look towards St. John’s Bread and Life not only for the services they provide including social services, food pantry, daily meals and medical services, but most importantly for the family environment that brings warmth not only the to the hearts of the clients, but is something every individual quickly feels when they walk in the door. This family, the quickly welcomed me in as a volunteer, became the inspiration for me to start my own program there. A program that would fulfill both the clients, in their search of legal identification, but also for the volunteers so that they could understand the feel the same feelings of warmth and love from the clients. These clients come from all walks of life, some with bachelor and master degrees, some with high school education, and others with no education. These individuals all from different races, genders, nationalities and backgrounds become one at St. John’s Bread and Life. The faculty learns from the clients, and the clients learn from the faculty. This organization is one I hold dear to my heart, as it has sparked growth within me that is both spiritual and intellectual. As a college student, St. John’s Bread and Life has verified for me, what I want to do with my future, and I owe it to the faculty and most importantly the clients who have shaped my life.