Chris: Community Service Work Continues During Spring Break, in Another Community


[Photo: Holy Name Food Pantry]
During spring break I actually volunteered at a food pantry in Waukegan, Illinois. It is interesting that Holy Name Food Pantry provides many of the same services as the Refugee Center in Urbana-Champaign. For starters, the food pantry provides guidance and advice on citizenship and legal matters. In addition, the workers at the food pantry help people to find protection and shelter. People who feel threatened can go to the pantry and be temporarily relocated to a safer place. Lastly, the food pantry provides short-term loans for rent payments in the case of an emergency. The main purpose of the food pantry is, of course, to provide food for needy families. Nevertheless, the aforementioned services are extremely important to many members of the community, including a large Hispanic population. The food pantry is an essential resource for many of the Hispanic citizens of Waukegan, like the Refugee Center is for the immigrants of Urbana-Champaign. It was really cool to go home and see workers at the food pantry helping people like we do at the Refugee Center.

-Chris

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