November 23, 2008

Open Arms Ministry


All told, there were about 35 students and several dedicated adult volunteers who brought food to a group of almost 100 homeless men and women at Hyde Park United Methodist’s Open Arms Ministry. Open Arms is a ministry that provides a nourishing meal, emergency assistance and an invitation to the homeless to worship with the congregation. Open Arms began in 2004 as an effort to serve the disenfranchised and marginalized men and women in the Hyde Park area.

We had a lot of fun while making a difference and showing dignity and respect to the homeless community in Hyde Park. Students cut bread, served food and shared a smiling face, all the while spending time with friends. It was a great morning. The smiles on the faces of the Open Arms guests said it all!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Project Reports

Tagged as ,

October 25, 2008

Hudson Manors

Well, 22 of us headed to Davis Islands and spent the morning with the residents of Hudson Manors Assisted Living Facility. We played Bingo and gave the residents manicures as well as just sitting and visiting. We met one woman who was 101 years old! She was a great lady and her room was filled with photos of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and GREAT-GREAT-grandchildren!

We took some residents for a walk around the island, getting them out for fresh air and some great sunshine. It was a terrific day. The stories we got to hear and share with the residents will last us for a long time.

Next stop: Open Arms on November 23rd at Hyde Park UMC where we’ll help serve as many as 125 homeless folks breakfast. The opportunity to serve in the community is an enriching one for all the students, who get to share time with their friends while making a difference in the community. It really is great to GET REAL Involved!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Project Reports

Tagged as ,

September 13, 2008

Steppin’ Stone Farm

Well the latest GET REAL Involved! trip took us to Steppin’ Stone Farm, and what a great experience it was! Steppin’ Stone, for those who do not know, is a home for at risk teenage girls. It’s 85 acres of working farm on the Alafia River in Lithia, FL. and there are up to 27 girls there at any one time. They live in group homes and work the farm, which means tending to the animals and a nursery where they grow ornamental plants and grasses.

There were about 20 of us, and we got there a little late, but the girls were there waiting for us. First we went on a tour of the Farm. They have steers and chickens and pigs and goats. Some of the girls, called “steer girls” are in charge of taking care of the steers as part of a 4H program for which they get high school credit. The chickens provide fresh eggs every day! The girls have chores and school each day — either they are tending to one of the farm chores, or preparing meals and manning the kitchen. There isn’t much down time.

The tour is always my favorite part of a visit to Steppin’ Stone. Three “old girls” give us a tour of all the animals and the group homes and give us a glimpse into a day in the life of a girl on the Farm. There are strict rules, but it doesn’t seem to be stifling or severe there. The girls are happy and seemed filled with renewed purpose — chief among that purpose is to change their lives. The girls are open and friendly and have a bright outlook.

After the tour we got to work helping them tend to their “cash crop” of ornamental/architectural grasses and plants. The crops are sold at the Strawberry Festival to raise money for scholarships. And with only up to 27 girls there at any given time, and all the other chores that keep an 85 acre farm going it sometimes is tough to keep the nursery in great shape. Enter our 20 sets of hands! We whipped through several rows of beds in about three hours and got those plants in great shape. Now the task for the girls is much more manageable.

After our work in the nursery we got to eat lunch with the girls. It was a special occasion in that one of the girls was celebrating a birthday. Her whole family had come up from Miami and made homemade fried chicken, shepherd’s pie and green beans. Yum! Everyone had a great time, and really enjoyed the food.

The students who went seemed to be impressed with the girls and their ability to overcome some fairly big stuff and clearly are facing life with a renewed outlook. That gave us all something to think about.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Project Reports

Tagged as , , , ,

August 26, 2008

Backpacks of Hope at Metropolitan Ministries

The first GET REAL Involved! community service project of the 08-09 school year was to Metropolitan Ministries Backpacks of Hope. What a great day. What a difference Metropolitan Ministries makes in the community. I think they had like 4,000 families come through to pick up a fully loaded backpack to get their kids ready for school.

There were about 14 of us, not bad for the first project of the year! And we served food to the guests, and managed the haircutting area. That was a really neat addition this year to the Backpacks of Hope: they offered families haircuts from a local hair cutting academy. It was just like a barber shop, down to the little boys crying over their first hair cut!

About halfway through our shift the skys opened up and the rain dumped down on the crew that was serving on the food line! They were drenched! It was hilarious. They had to scurry inside and try and get dry with paper towels! I mean they looked like they had been dunked into a pool they were so wet. What a downpour. For the rest of our shitf they tried to dry off and they helped us manage the line for hair cuts.

The barbers completed about 100 haircuts — they were amazing. And the families were so excited to have the new service provided this year. Great idea! All in all it was a really good day. We got to help people, run screaming in the rain, meet some new folks, and hang out with friends.
It was Emily E.’s last GET REAL day with us as a student. She’s off to Samford and we’re going to miss her!
That’s all for now!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Project Reports

Tagged as , , ,

March 23, 2008

Earn Service Hours

To qualify for Bright Futures Scholarships students in Florida must complete 75 hours of community service. Most other grants and scholarships require some sort of community service activity for consideration. But where can you complete this service? There are so many agencies needing help. Some don’t want unchaperoned students, or even accept students as volunteers. It can be a complicated challenge.

Most students want to volunteer (whether they receive “credit” for it or not) but just don’t know how to go about doing it. Or haven’t been asked! That’s where GET REAL Involved! comes in!

With GET REAL Involved! you can earn service hours, make a difference in the community, and hang out with friends…all at the same time!

GET REAL Involved! engages youth in service in the Tampa Bay area. Each month, GET REAL Involved! will coordinate a project at Hillsborough County approved sites to help you fulfill your service hours requirements. We get you there and back — all you have to do is fill out a few forms (click here) show up, have fun and make a difference!

Leave a Comment

Filed under Information

Tagged as ,