S-Trip! Destination: Islands of the Bahamas, Nassau, Bahamas
Summer 2016
We had two stops for our volunteer experience in Nassau - first at the Bahamas Children's Emergency Hostel and then at a food bank called Hands for Hunger. Our students were very eager to learn more about the organizations that support this community, and it turned out to be a very fun and informative day!
A little elbow grease goes a long way!
Bahamas Children's Emergency Hostel
First stop! The Children's Hostel! Here we got a tour of this important facility that houses children between the ages of 12 months and 12 years who have been abandoned or neglected. We got to give the building a spruce by washing the windows and cleaning the siding, which is a task that is often put on the backburner for this small charity. We then branched off into bigger groups to play with the children who were on break from their classes. We played soccer, basketball, tag, and just sat and spent time with some of the younger children!
Our hardworking group after completing the cleanup at the first site!
Hands for Hunger Food Bank
We then hopped back on the bus to head to Hands for Hunger, a local food bank that was started by a group of university students. We were greeted by Keisha, who was amazing and so knowledgeable! She engaged us in a discussion about food security, their organization, and their process of supporting other organizations in Bahamas.
Slowly but surely making our way through all of the food items!
We then emptied the Hands for Hunger truck that was full of food donations, sorted the food by type, and then packed it all back into labelled boxes to be sent to each of their 14 agencies that they supply. Lastly, we packed the truck with our pantry boxes ready to be delivered. Our students loved feeling connected to an issue like hunger, which they witness back at home as well.
Sending off the full truck of sorted food!
Written by Sierra Webster, the on-site Volunteer Coordinator in Nassau, Bahamas.