For Those In Need
Serving food at North Helpline
For the past week and a half, students from various countries in the Caribbean were in Seattle for a program coordinated by FIUTS, in a contract with World Learning, called Youth Ambassador Program. We will be posting the students' reflection and experiences over the next week. Here's a post by Joashaha, an ambassador from Guyana:
The produce at North Helpline Food Bank
What have I got to prove? And why?
Most times, things in life are not freely given. Either there are tests or conditions to be passed or a rigorous course to be taken. At the North Helpline Food bank, the experience was sharply contrasting and extremely relaxed. This organization, which provides groceries for a large percentage of the North Seattle populace, stripped itself of all stipulations or constraints to provide food for those who were in need. It was a place where people came for their complimentary produce, ranging from standard staples, poultry and veggies (a commonly used term here that is alien to me!), in a space that was not judgmental nor critical.
This experience was earth-shattering for me as food systems such as North Helpline do not exist in my community. It taught me how uncomfortable life could become (as some clients of the food bank were embarrassed and shy) and the fragility of finances (the idea of being handicapped financially and not being able to provide food for yourself and your family) and the challenges thereafter.
Wouldn't it just be better if we created systems of help to uplift our fellow humans rather than the towers of prerequisites laced with judgement?
The Youth Ambassador Program (YAP) Caribbean program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, promote a better understanding of the people, institutions, and culture of the United States among foreign students, teachers, and scholars. YAP is a program run by World Learning, a nonprofit organization empowering people and strengthening institutions through education, sustainable development, and exchange programs in more than 60 countries.
The program in Seattle is coordinated by the Foundation for International Understanding Through Students (FIUTS), a local non-profit organization affiliated with the University of Washington that promotes international friendship and cross-cultural understanding in the region.