University’s Long Partnership with Local Shelter BRINGS THANKS THROUGH SERVICE

The University of St. Francis has had a long-time volunteer partnership with Catholic Charities Daybreak Shelter in Joliet. While the struggle of homelessness is real, there are also rewarding moments—especially for those who volunteer. Meet four USF staff and students who work regularly at the shelter...

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN VOLUNTEERING AT DAYBREAK?

Meg: I've volunteered there on and off for 30 years.

Molly: Since 2015.

Krzysztof: Since I became a USF student.

Erika: Since my first semester of freshman year (two years). This past year I became the student coordinator for this volunteer opportunity and have loved it.

HOW DID YOU FIRST GET INVOLVED THERE?

Meg: First through St. Mary Nativity Church in Joliet, and later when I started working for USF.

Molly: In the fall of 2015, I was asked to join a group of USF employees to help make breakfast at Daybreak. I would serve breakfast each semester and was asked to be a Daybreak Leader in fall of 2017. As a leader, you sign up for dates, make sure you have enough volunteers, make a menu and shop for supplies. You are responsible for overseeing the operations of making breakfast that morning, helping volunteers with making breakfast and finding their way around the kitchen.

Krzysztof: I was introduced to Daybreak through some of the peer ministers and the ministry team. They had told me about the good experiences they had and I wanted to help. My duties at the shelter were to help prepare breakfast. I was making pancakes on the griddle while others made bacon and eggs.

Erika: I first got involved through a friend who invited me to volunteer. I saw the direct impact my help had on the community, so I kept signing up. The main duties are cooking breakfast and then serving the food to whoever comes through the doors. We often have some form of pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, sausage and other foods that require prep work or cooking.

HOW HAS THE EXPERIENCE IMPACTED YOU PERSONALLY AND/ OR SPIRITUALLY?

Meg: I choose to serve at Daybreak because I feel called to serve others. I feel blessed with all that God has given me and I want to give back. I enjoy cooking and it is nice to see the Daybreak residents enjoy the food that USF prepares for them. I enjoy working side-by-side with my fellow USF friends and coworkers at the shelter.

Molly: I always feel blessed and honored to make a warm breakfast for Daybreak residents. When I started helping, I liked to be in charge of making coffee and putting out the drinks. It is a good place to talk to the residents. A young man asked me for chocolate milk every time I was making the coffee. They did not have any, but I found some Nesquik in the back and that made him very happy. The next time I volunteered, I brought a gallon of chocolate milk in case he was there. He remembered me and asked for the chocolate milk. When I brought out the gallon I had bought, and he got the biggest smile on his face. The simple things in life can make someone’s day. I’m thankful for the opportunity to serve with a smile and I appreciate everyone in my daily life.

Krzysztof: The experience impacted me in a powerful way because when I interacted with the many residents in tough situations, it made me feel sad. I wanted to help them out in any way that I could. The experience has made me more passionate about service in the world.

Erika: A big part of how you see yourself in society and in life is through the things that you have and in that the status you receive. I took this as an opportunity to kind of take a step back and reassess what I had and what I was blessed with. It's so easy to subscribe to the capitalist and consumer mindset. In this, I was really able to understand that I am surrounded by so many amazing things and people and that I can share that light and joy with others. Through warm food, a smile, and some compassion, we are able to reach all kinds of people in the Joliet community.

DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL MEMORY ABOUT YOUR TIME IN SERVICE AT THE SHELTER?

Meg: A good memory of serving at Daybreak is one of my coworkers who helped me serve breakfast years ago brought all of her Beanie Babies to give as gifts to the children at the shelter. The children were so excited and loved picking out their favorite one—I will never forget their joyful faces.

Erika: I don't have a specific memory or story, but I think a big aspect of this mission is sharing the 'light' and doing what we can to help those in our community. A lot of times people who are homeless or have a low SES are treated poorly, outcasted, and even shunned. The beautiful part about Daybreak is that we treat them like actual people. We give them respect, a friendly face, and a genuine conversation.

WHAT DOES GRATITUDE MEAN TO YOU?

Krzysztof: The meaning of gratitude, in my eyes, is discovered the in the happy, thankful feeling you get when someone helps you out. Erika: Gratitude is something very important to me. It is a mindset and a thought process that is a focal point in my life. The feeling of being grateful and content is definitely hard to experience. With a grateful mindset and having gratitude for others and yourself, you tend to think more positively and experience a joy and peace that some people find difficulty reaching. Gratitude involves a deep feeling of appreciation, thankfulness, and attitude but can also require a readiness of action. One of these actions is through Daybreak. I am grateful for the food I can afford, the shelter above my head, and so much bigger and smaller. To be able to give people food and sustenance, even if it's just one meal, can make a difference greater than we will ever know. If you yourself have an attitude of gratitude, others around you will learn to as well.

IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THE DAYBREAK EXPERIENCE THAT HAS MADE YOU FEEL A SENSE OF GRATITUDE?

Molly: Helping others at Daybreak helps remind me to be thankful for the things in life that might be taken for granted.

Krzysztof: I feel thankful for Daybreak because of the service we offer to the people that need it most. This type of service and volunteering creates an immediate impact that you can see. I also am super grateful for this experience because of the fun experiences I've had making new friends and getting to know people that come to help.

Erika: Each week we do Daybreak breakfast there is a little take away or detail that makes the whole experience worth it. Whether it's the elderly lady or a family of young children that we give food to, the mutual gratuity is there, spoken or unspoken. I'm extremely grateful for all of the student that have volunteered with me and helped make an impact on so many people's lives that we don't even realize. With this mission, we are able to see the direct impact of our actions, which I think makes the world of difference.

HOW CAN OTHERS HELP DAYBREAK OR SHELTERS IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES?

Meg: Some challenges associated with volunteering at the shelter are experienced because they do not have the money, labor or resources to keep the kitchen running as it should be, all the time. For instance, when appliances break, the shelter struggles to replace them. The Daybreak staff and administration are truly doing a great job considering their limited resources, but they can always use help.

Molly: Think of unique ways to help. I always look to see if there is day-old bakery from Panera. They donate it in a large garbage bag and I make a big platter of goodies for residents, and even put things in small baggies for the kids living at the shelter to take to school for a treat.