Jenny - ACSC - Blog 3

After the experience with the traffic yesterday, our group left with plenty of time and arrived to the Café early. There was no one there when we got there so we immediately started on the tasks from yesterday's to-do list that weren't finished as well as set the table.

We were highly efficient and organized all of the coats and boxed away the children's coats, cleaned and organized the fridges, and cleaned the cashier room in addition to setting the table before the lead volunteer arrived to instruct us. Because we had finished all of the tasks, the entire group was in the kitchen! We cleaned the kitchen, made beans, macaroni, and pork chops in our oh so fashionable hairnets and aprons. For desert, we set out sugar cookies and cut up a chocolate cake. Once the food was ready, the clients sat down and it was time to serve!

Serving today was much different than serving on Sunday. Everyone was hungry and the menu was smaller so taking orders went quickly. Everyone was so polite and positive despite their situation. As we ate lunch after the clients left, we talked to the lead volunteer. She was explaining that they have cooked and served with only two people before. It amazes me how effective of a non-profit Café 458 is, especially with logistics. We rarely waited around and there were 10 volunteers today; managing with two volunteers seems impossible.


After we left the Café, we headed to a co-housing community. We met up with a congregation member and her friends and toured their "intentional community". Here, the houses and community shares common tools and spaces. A main tenet of their lifestyle is inclusion. All homes are wheel chair accessible and they include and welcome diverse backgrounds. I feel that inclusion and justice are both necessary agents for change.


While there, we worked on a website for One Billion Rising before dinner. One Billion Rising strives to raise awareness and make change regarding the sad truth that 1 in 3 women will experience some sort of sexual or physical violence. We finished the night learning the dance for the worldwide flash mob on February 15th.

This break has been amazing because it has stared discussions on such a range of topics and social justice issues. I feel like my perspective widens with each activity I participate in and person I meet.