THURSDAY, MARCH 6

Today was a very interesting day. My group went to a place called Hour Children. This particular place takes care of children who range in ages 2mths to 12 years old. Most of these children parents are incarcerated. A couple of these kids have foster parents but most are caught up in the system waiting for their parents to return from prison. Hour children also offer clothes and furniture for those who are returning from prison.

I applaud this place because it is a non profit organization so most of the funds they receive are from donation. I had the chance to meet some of the children who are quite well adjusted children considering their circumstances. I also had the chance to work in the store and hang and separate some of the clothes in the store which are provided to some of the parents and child. What makes this place exceptional from Child protective services is that they are focus on the parents and the child well being. --- Michelle Carter


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Today’s assignment was interesting. My group volunteered at the YCP Pantry which is the largest pantry in New York. They serve over 1250 families a week. When we arrived they were extremely happy to see us. They had a full day of work waiting. Another team from the YSOP program joined us at the site. We packed, and packed, and packed hundreds and hundreds of family packages. I also assisted in handing the packages to the families. The system they had in place was really neat. The families had to register with the program and they were assigned a number according to their family size and that number told us what size packages to hand them. It was rewarding to see the families come through and collect their packages.

Tonight was phenomenal! We, the pioneer alternative spring break class of Clayton State, prepared dinner tonight. We weathered rough winds and chilling temperatures to find a grocery store, keep in mind there is no Kroger or Publix, only grocery stores. We made spaghetti, toss salad, homemade garlic bread, Southern Style sweet tea (Thank God! I was going into sweet tea withdrawal), and a strawberry crème cake topped with fresh strawberries made by yours truly. It was absolutely great! We all sat and chat and reflected on this week here in NY. What a great experience I had. I can’t wait to hear about next year’s ASB. --- Atawanna L. Royal


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This experience has been very exciting. I have met a wonderful group of people. I like the fact everyone has different personalities yet we still got all the tasks done in a timely manner. Today we went to a Yorktown Food Bank and worked with other members from the YSOP. They were friendly and nice. We all formed an assembly line to get the job done. I bagged the items with the other members. It was pretty strenuous because the bags were quite heavy.

Tonight the ASB crew had an intimate dinner. We cooked plenty of good food and conversed about our different experiences here in New York. I enjoyed the laughs we all shared together. I feel like I met another family from Clayton State. We all made sure everyone was taken of on this trip. I really liked that. I appreciated this experience and I am grateful that I was chosen to be apart of the ASB. I have learned so much about different perceptions and different cultures on this trip. Although we worked extremely hard, I felt as thought we were still on vacation.
The leaders did an excellent job of planning the itinerary for ASB. This community service projects have taught me to appreciative of what I have and do not take things for granted. I enjoyed the feeling of being valued for my services. I never knew how many soup kitchens and food banks there were here in New York to assist the homeless and hungry. I think that is a positive factor that is rarely portrayed about New York. I hope they continue the ASB because it was an eye opening experience. --- Willetta Reed


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Volunteering today was held at the Yorktown Food Pantry. I worked any handed all week than I did today. They told us that they average giving about 1,300 bags of each week to families whose numbers ranged from 1 to 8 members. Four of us worked to bag bagels and food. Once the families started to arrive the shelves which were fully stocked began to empty faster than we could restock them. Once again I realized fortunate I am. No matter how difficult my days may be or how hard the semester is, nothing in my life compares to what the individuals and families we have come in contact with this week encounter each day. Not knowing if you will have enough food to feed your family has to be an overwhelming feeling.

Everyone we came across was not homeless, but everyone was hungry. I also appreciate the new friends I have made this week as well. I have learned a little something from everyone. This has been an experience that I am very thankful to have the opportunity to participate in; it has deeply enriched my life, opened my eyes and my mind even more than it was before. --- Denise


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Today our group went to Queens & worked in a thrift store. The Thrift Store’s proceeds go to “The Hour Children,” which is place that cares for children whose parents have been incarcerated. We organized clothing according to gender, color, and type. We really connected with the employees, who were really friendly and out going. A part of our group went to the park to play with the children of “The Hour House,” while the rest of us stayed and finished organizing the thrift store.

After we were finished we went to Harlem and did some shopping/sightseeing. Then we searched for something resembling a grocery store from back home, but had no such luck. We did find a small grocery mart, but it wasn’t quite the same. We came back to the hostel and all chipped in to prepare and cook a really nice dinner for all of us. We even set the table with white table linen, and set up the plates and napkins in a “fancy” style setting. We all had dinner together like the family we have become, while reflecting on our time here. I am really enjoying each and every person, everyone is so unique and different, we all bring our own styles and personalities together, yet get along really well. We have all become really close and I feel that I have made some lasting friendships. Also, this week has been life changing for me, and I have had the privilege of experiencing things that most people will never get to experience. It has been a major learning experience, and I know that all of the things that I have learned and experienced are priceless and I will remember these things for the rest of my life. --- Amber


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Yesterday was an awesome day. I had the chance to visit a food pantry. The pantry serves the five burroughs of New York City. There is so much food that is being distributed to these cities. We packed about four planks of food that held about thirty six boxes of food and each weighed about twenty pounds a piece. I hope we were able to make a difference today by volunteering. --- Michelle Carter


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Once again today took an adventure on New York’s Metro. We went to a food pantry in Harlem, New York. While my classmates packed bags of food I was given the privilege to interact with public hand out food bags in the front office. I met some very interesting people. When we left there we toured Harlem. Then later that evening prepared dinner at the hostel as a group and it was delicious. I cant wait for tomorrow. --- Xavier Russ


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Our adventure today starts off going to Queens for our first mission, Hour Child. Hour Child helps mothers and children reunite with their loved ones. In other cases, they help the mothers establish a stable life with their children. There are plans and set ups for the mothers to go through. The first step, they place the mothers in a shelter called dependent shelter then independent house. Today we helped organized the thrift store for the Hour Child. The thrift store is not an ordinary thrift store because it donates clothes to the mothers who need clothing for their children. Kamille, Amber, and Michelle helped out with babysitting the children. I helped out with Lashanda and Amber with the clothes. I believe today’s mission helped me see other views of how people life styles are. I feel inspired to help a lot of people. I hope I can do more in life after today.

At the end of the mission, we headed out to Harlem. Harlem was a new experience for me. I never felt like I fitted in so well in Harlem. It felt like I was not standing out in the crowd. I love the food here especially the fruits. They tasted so much better than Georgia’s fruit. For tonight we had our second to the last dinner together. Everyone pitched in to make dinner. I made garlic bread while the others prepared the spaghetti and cake. We ate together and laughed all the way till we became tired. From the beginning we were all strangers now we are like family. When one or the others needed money, one of us was willing to pitch in. We learn to trust each other. We learned about each other views such as their dislikes to their habits of sleep talking at night. Through the few rough time we went through with each other, we endured and grew stronger from each tussle. This was a rewarding experience. --- Penny Ho


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Today I worked with the Hour Children day care system and the Hour Children Thrift store. Hour children works with mothers who are incarcerated. They take care of the babies until the mothers are released from prison. After playing with all the children, many of them became attached when it was time to go. My heart was broken when the kids started to cry. It occurred to me that many of them probably don’t have solid connections with people. In conclusion, I am very pleased with our last day of service. --- Kamille Rigsby


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Today we went to our children organization. This organization is for kids that have mothers that are incarcerated and can not take care of them, and also, have no family to take care of them. We couldn’t go into the daycare because we didn’t have medial records, so we helped in the clothing store. The store provides clothes for the mothers and the children. But we were then able to play with the kids when they came to the playground. I love kids so it was a fun experience. The kids were skeptical at first but then warmed up to us. I loved the experience and even made some “little friends”. I would love to do it again and learn more about it. --- Tina Young

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5TH

Today, my group volunteered at the Fraternite of Notre Dame soup kitchen. This soup kitchen is ran by French speaking Nuns in Spanish speaking Harlem. I have never met a Nun in person so it was extremely cool to meet them.

I assisted in making 100 lunch bags that contain peanut butter sandwiches, apples, bananas, and Debbie cakes. The Nuns go out every evening to give food to the community and the bags we prepared were to be giving out today. After preparing the meals, I then helped unload and stack up the food that was delivered from the food bank.

Today was another rewarding day. I was in awe at the level of respect these Nuns were giving from the homeless people they served. I was also surprised when one of the homeless guys assisted us in stacking the boxes of food. --- Atwanna L. Royal


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Wow…today I met a Nun. I was so excited because I had never seen one before. The nuns are from France, but their institution in located in Spanish Harlem. Upon arrival, we were immediately put to work. I assisted in making 100 lunch bags for the homeless. I was touched that the sandwiches we were using were made by a fifth grade class. I was so happy that young kids were taking part in their community. After helping with the lunches, I began to wash dishes…lots and lots of dishes! Also, before leaving, I mopped the floors. ~ I am very pleased with the way the day turned out. The nuns are so dedicated to the people of Spanish Harlem. --- ~Kamille Rigsby


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Today my group went to Spanish Harlem and worked with French nuns. Yes, you heard it right. Spanish Harlem & French Nuns.

It was a very cool experience. I served the homeless guests food in a buffet style setting. We had several food choices and the homeless could pick one or all of the items. I also cleaned up after the homeless guests by wiping down the tables and chairs after they left, taking their trays back to the sink and throwing away their plates. I also served them water and made sure their pitchers and glasses were full. I got to interact with several of the people and it was a lot of fun. I assisted in making sack lunches for the Nun’s to distribute out on the streets. I enjoyed interacting with the Nuns. They were very pleasant and down to earth.

It was entertaining to see them interact with some of the homeless guests. They would joke back & forth and pick on each other in a joking way. I have never experienced anything. --- Amber


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Today we went to the food bank in the Bronx. It took a while, but when we finally got there. We went straight to work. We went and watched a movie about the food bank and what it does, I learned a lot more about what a food bank does and how important it is to the hungry community. I really felt like we got a lot done and accomplished good stuff. It was a good day ad felt well about our work. --- Tina Young


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We volunteered at Fraternatie( run by French nuns) which was in the Sister mary of the Nazarene comment. The nuns served hot lunches to the hungry Tues- Friday and had a program for children on Saturday. We packed PB and J lunch bags as well as served lunches,. I didn’t experience any language barriers ever though the nuns spoke mostly French and they were located in Spanish Harlem. I loved the way the guests interacted with the nuns. You could tell they had a close and rewarding relationship with that population. --- Denise


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Today started with another work on the metro system to the Bronx. We visited a food co-op/ food pantry. We packed boxes of beverages to be sent to churches or homes. We left there and ended the evening with another show at The Apollo in Harlem. --- Xavier


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Frat. Of Notre Dame was quite interesting. The staff consisted of French speaking nuns. They were pleasant and grateful. We packed lunches and served food to the guests. The guests were appreciative of our services. It made me feel warm inside. The Apollo was fun and relaxing. The group got a chance to interact with one another while being entertained. --- Willetta Reed


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Our adventure started with going to a food bank in The Bronx. Today was pretty much different from other places we have helped. It was different because we were lost for an hour due to very bad written directions but we still got the work done. When we arrived there, the people were very nice as always.

One of the differences I found is the Bronx has a rough setting. It was cold and windy. The food bank distributes food to all the other non profit organization. Without the food they package to non profit charity organization, New York would struggle to feed its people. I love the team work effort from my group from each volunteering service. I enjoyed how we were able to break up into group and finish jobs we were assigned. I believe our great team work in each volunteering services helped us to finish several of the jobs the people wanted us to finish on time. Most of the time we finished our duties ahead of time or we did more than the people expected. It was an awesome feeling to gain from this experience. Our work that we contributed today provided food to those who are hungry in New York.

OH I ate at White Castle for the first time. I never heard about it until my group members were talking about it. It tasted the same as Krystals in Georgia. At the same time, we went to The Apollo for amateur night. The show was awesome. I enjoyed the performers. Most of all I liked knowing I was in a place where Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder performed. --- Penny Ho


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Yesterday was an awesome day. I had the chance to visit a food pantry. The pantry serves the five burroughs of New York City. There is so much food that is being distributed to these cities. We packed about four planks of food that held about thirty six boxes of food and each weighed about twenty pounds a piece. I hope we were able to make a difference today by volunteering. --- Michelle Carter

TUESDAY, MARCH 4TH

Today was a very surprising, yet rewarding day. After hearing many negative comments about the Bowery Mission, I was reluctant about going there. Yesterday another group was upset about the Mission because they supposedly “forced” the desperate homeless men to become Christians. When I heard this, I was concerned because I don’t believe anyone should force someone else to convert to their religion.

Upon my arrival at the Bowery Mission, all of my previous feelings of disgust melted away. We received a warm welcome from the director Anthony. After a short orientation we better understood the foundation and the aims of the Mission. The Bowery Mission is reserved only for homeless men. It is a completely voluntary 6 month program in which men are given the opportunity to find God, peace of mind and stability. While we were there, I helped organize a large pantry, slice peppers and onions, and served two meals to over 150 men. The men were so excited to have some help in their ministry, and I felt so blessed to be able to make a difference.

Many of the homeless men in the Mission are in such a situation from being laid off from their jobs, or from coming out of the military. After interacting with many of the men I realized that each of them had unique stories to tell. All of the stories shared a common factor: God. Their new relationships with God lead me to think about my bond with Him and strengthened my reasons for being here. When I saw the big smiles on their faces I felt like I was making a difference. So I am very happy with today and hope tomorrow will be as great! --- Kamille Rigsby


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The Bowery Mission really opened my eyes to the need in the area for volunteers to help in so many ways other than just donating food. Were able to help organize their canned goods pantry, serve meals to the men who are going through their program as well as go with them on their outreach program which helps to distribute food to those who are out on the street.

Later during the evening we met back at the YSOP location and cooked for several homeless and ate with them. I sat with a man whose name was Leon. He fascinated me with his views on politics as well as child rearing. What struck my heart the most though was realizing that it meant something to Leon that anyone cared enough about his thoughts to listen. Actually, I think he was amazed that I even thought he would have an opinion on the political race at all. I gave him the respect he deserved as another human, and he taught me a lesson in life, or renewed one that I already knew: everyone deserves to be treated with respect, no matter what there status in life is. I truly enjoyed today. --- Denise Taylor


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Today we rode the infamous Metrorail today but with no issues as we had yesterday. We were fortunate enough to visit a soup kitchen in upper Manhattan at St James Episcopal Church. We serve people who were either homeless, less fortunate, and or who just wanted someone to socialize with. The entire experience allowed me serve which have always been afraid to do. We prepared and served the meals. --- Xavier Russ


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Today me and my group went to the Bowery Mission and helped sort out food in the pantry and serve food to the members as well as the community. This mission is a 6 month program that helps men get back on their feet and teaches them about the Lord. I had a real good time helping out for the simple fact that I felt appreciated and welcomed. The atmosphere was positive and very comfortable. The staff was polite and fun, and the guest were pleasant too. I wouldn’t mind going there and doing it again.

After our work, we went back to YSOP and had to prepare and serve dinner for the homeless guest that were invited to come. I didn’t get to interact with everyone but I did talk to a few. One thing I realized is that they really do notice who are sincere about helping and who really aren’t and may be there for a “show”. Overall, I had a good experience all day long, and I feel it was a productive day. --- Tina Young


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New York has been an interesting experience. I like the experience of traveling on the trains to different cities! Every part of the city looks as if we are visiting another state. I enjoyed serving the guests in the soup kitchen at the St. James Episcopal Church. The feeling of serving the people at the church made me feel as if I was a waitress. The staff and guests were cordial and appreciative of my services. That made me feel appreciated and welcomed at the church. --- Willetta Reed


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Today we went to the Bowery Mission in Manhattan, which is a faith based men’s homeless shelter. Our group had several tasks to do. Some of us worked in the kitchen, all of us worked on the line at some point serving and interacting with the homeless guests, and some of us also helped organize their food bank. I focused mainly on getting their food bank into order. There was a lot of space and a lot of food, but because of the way it was set up, their space was not utilized and it was hard to know exactly what was there.

We all worked hard and organized the products according to food group, so their bank would be more useful and efficient. The volunteers & employees of the shelter were really friendly and hospitable. The homeless guests were also very friendly. In the end we received a tour from a man who was about to graduate from the program at the shelter. He was very enthusiastic about the program and felt that the most important part was overcoming through God. There were several tiers to the program and I felt that the program was very beneficial to those involved. They had an 80% success rate, which is very impressive.

The history of the building was also very interesting, as it was over a hundred years old and Abraham Lincoln once gave a speech there. We met back with the YSOP, prepared and served dinner to around 15-20 homeless guests. We got to have dinner with the homeless guests and the students from the other Universities. It was an eye opening experience. I felt that this experience let me help a homeless person feel respected and treated to a special dinner. --- Amber Bennett


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Today was pretty neat. We went to St. James Church. The group was given many different duties. I had to smash the tuna fish into smaller pieces because it was in a bulk from the can. After that Michelle helped me put mayonnaise and relish into the bowl with the tuna fish. I felt good with all the team work coming from the group of strangers I first met at the conference. Another thing amazes me today was the people who came in to eat the food we made for the hunger. Some of the “hunger” people were aggressive. I never thought the “hunger” people could lie about not getting enough servings. I thought these people would be appreciative like the movies.

The experience from today’s community service at St. James Church was a refreshing experience for me. I enjoyed learning about each person’s perspective on how they felt. Eric was pretty cool about how he did not get irritated by the ladies he had to pass out food to. I thought Xavier was pretty cool and collective with the people around him. Each day that passes, I feel like I am growing closer to these people I arrived with. I feel the people arrived with have made me stronger and given me a different out look in life. One more thing to add, I believe it is hilarious how the Northern people from YSOP tried to make sweet tea like the South. It so did not taste like sweet tea. There was an edge or some sort of funny taste to that sweet tea they made for dinner. Even though it has only been two days, I feel like this trip will change my life in ways of broadening my horizon. --- Penny Ho


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Today was another exciting day. I had the opportunity to work in a soup kitchen at St. James Church. At this facility I was allowed to make tuna fish sandwich for the hungry. I also served a delicious soup that was made by some of the church members. The people that showed up for lunch were extremely happy that people from Atlanta showed up to volunteer. Michelle Carter


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My team volunteered at the Bowery Mission today. The Bowery Mission is a place where they help guys rehabilitate by developing a relationship with God. In their program, guys check in and for 6 months and attend classes that help them develop the skills they need to reposition themselves in society. Everyone we met was extremely interesting. The stories of how they got there were all very unique. Like myself, most people associate men in programs like these as being people who had some sort of addiction such as one to drugs or alcohol. Contrary to that, a lot of the guys there had no addiction problem at all.

After getting the history of the mission, we were directed to the pantry where we began to reorganize the can goods. I also assisted in the kitchen in preparing the food for dinner. The most rewarding part of the day was when I actually served the guys in the soup line. It was so refreshing to them to see us smiling at them as we served them their lunch. Most of them were extremely social and they had some great personalities. Thus far, this was the most rewarding day. I can’t wait until tomorrow’s assignment! --- Atawanna L. Royal

MONDAY, MARCH 3RD

Sunday, March 2nd, was tiring but exciting at the same time! The flight was smooth and uneventful, which was wonderful. Watching to see how Willetta reacted to the flight was like a kid opening presents on his or her first Christmas. She was very animated during the take-off. It was also refreshing to see someone truly enjoying what many take for granted daily. After arriving, we walked around the Hostel neighborhood and took in a few NY sites.

The Hostel International is different from the Holiday Inn, but if you ever get the opportunity to stay in one and see the city, I highly recommend it. Our first day of service was at the Clothing Bank. We learned that there are locations which receive new, not used, clothing to donate to the non-profit agencies. This impressed me because it allows those who receive the clothing to regain some of the dignity they may have lost. --- Denise Taylor


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New York is totally different from Georgia. The people, the cost of living, and the environment overall is very surprising to me. Many of the people that we met on the street were very "unfriendly." The taxes were as high as the prices were but i'd love to invest in the city's real estate market. The environment was cold and very urban. The locals moved around the city at a very fast pace.

Today we visited The Clothing Bank of New York. The clothing bank was not like any other that I’ve seen before. They only receive new clothing to distribute to the needy. We saw brands such as Prada, Fendi, Lacoste, and Ralph Lauren. The entire operation was very organized.

Overall the trip so far as been fun and extremely interesting. I will not mention the public transportation until a further date. It was quite interesting but I’ve learned so many things about people and life. --- Xavier Russ


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The flight to New York was extremely smooth. I took a nap, not because I was tired, but because I wanted to get my mind right for the experience ahead of me. As soon as we arrived the overwhelming number of people everywhere screamed “Welcome to New York.”

Checking in to the hostel was an experience on its own as most of us had never stayed in one room with more than two or three people. Exploring Time Square was definitely a thrill.

Our first volunteer adventure was great. At the soup kitchen, the staff was very warm and appreciative of our presence. I worked directly in the kitchen cutting tomatoes and lettuce for the next day’s lunch. It felt really good helping out in the kitchen and it came at a perfect time as one of the workers had already called in for the next day, so the work I did prevented one of the other workers from having to come in early. --- Atawanna L. Royal


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The soup kitchen was a wonderful experience. The people were so nice. I met some wonderful people who volunteer at the soup kitchen as well. --- Michelle Carter


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This experience has been wonderful thus far. This was my first flight; it was pretty smooth and fun. At first, I was so nervous... but everyone was very supportive and it calmed me down.

This experience has taught me to be appreciative of what I have. Working with the homeless population is very eye opening. I really like the Hostel because it reminds me of living in dorms. I never lived in dorms but they seem like they would be fun. --- Willetta Reed


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From the minute we left the LaGuardia airport we immediately began living the quintessential New York life! From crazy cab drivers, to eccentric street musicians, New York pizza, Times Square, fast paced living and lots of people from all over the world!

The hostile that we are staying at has a very unique atmosphere, with great customer service and many interesting things to do. We have had dinner twice now at a wonderful diner called “The Metro Diner.” This morning we started our day at 5 am. We went to Starbucks; then made our way to the subway. We went to our first meeting with the YSOP and met students from other universities who are involved with the project as well. We were divided into groups and dispersed to different parts of the city.

Our group went to a clothing bank in Brooklyn. Our task was to separate, inspect, fold, organize and store the clothing. We worked very hard and knocked out almost three weeks worth of work for the understaffed employees & volunteers. They were very grateful and we felt very proud. We reconvened at our original location with the YSOP and each group shared their experiences of the day. It was a great first day. I look forward to the many experiences yet to come. --- Amber Bennett


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Woah…This is my first time out of the South. I believe it is a great adventure. The plane trip was pretty cool with the new strangers. I was very tired after the plane and the walking to the hostel. We had an awesome dinner at Metro Diner. The food is a bit different. My steak was better than Carrabas in Georgia. I still don’t know everybodys’ name, but I will eventually. I had a great time at YSOP. Our group was split into two.

I was with Eric ‘s group. We were designated at a clothing bank. I learned at the clothing bank that it is cool to be poor or homeless at times. At the clothing bank, we folded so many brand new name brand clothes that I felt jealous for the people. I really wished at the moment I was homeless or poor. BUT to be appreciative, I believe I wouldn’t trade my life for a lower living just to get brand clothes.

Oh I met a lot of diverse people at the hostel. I have met people from Montreal, France, Germany, Argentina, and Detroit so far. I hope to meet more. I like New York so far but I have to say I don’t like the limited transits or food to me. I appreciate having a house, car, my own bed, lots of trees and grass since I have been living in New York. OH I lOVE SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY!!!! Northern hospitality stinks so far. --- Penny Ho


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Today we met up at YSOP and got our first assignment. My group went to the St. James soup kitchen. I worked in the back in the food pantry and stocked all the donated food and placed it in emergency bugs. The people were very nice and loved that we were there. It was good first experience of volunteering in a big city like New York, and has gotten me excited for the next few days. --- Tina Young


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Today was a very exciting day because it was our first day of service. After waking up at 5 a.m., the others and I went to Starbucks for breakfast. The train ride to YSOP was a little scary. Upon arriving at YSOP, we had a very long orientation and then we were released to our sites. My group went to the clothing bank on the Broclyn Army Base. The Bank provides brand new designer clothing to the needy. I was humble by the Bank’s purpose: to have homeless people feel like they are worthy to have nice clothes and to help them merge back into society. Today was a great day and I feel that we really helped them cut. --- Kamille Rigsby