Anyhoo, a dear friend of mine, who has volunteered with the organization for many years, was leaving a job post there and tried to get me a hook-up on a job. While visiting, a group of potential volunteers went on a tour of facilities (I use the term loosely, it's not like it's a college campus). On the tour, we saw the two facilities that house those in dispair and crisises (one for women, the other for men). Though I went there trying to get a hook-up on job, it really impacted me. See, while I've done volunteer service before, it was just that: volunteering. That volunteering was more like a "wham, bam thank ma'am (or sir) (whatever floats your boat). Here, I felt some type of connection (mind you, I hadn't volunteered yet, so what connection I felt, who knows). While I felt that connection, it still took me some time to finally dedicate my time to the organization. For some odd reason, I was against volunteering anywhere but the Southside, guess my allegiance, but I couldn't find an organization that really spoke to me. Then I realized that was problem, I didn't just want to "volunteer", I wanted to be a part of something bigger. Finally, after some serious consideration (and some anonymous donations), I decided "woman" up and go help at Breakthrough.
I spend my time helping those trying to find their way back into the workforce: Reviewing resumes, mock interviews, helping write cover letters, etc. While this might be boring and mundane for some, I find this extremely interesting (and may I say, fun, errr). It's not the reviewing resumes part, but the part of working with my brothers and sisters who are at a low period in life, gain some self confidence and new skills. Not only am I helping them, but they're helping me. As much as I complain about not getting paid enough or I can't find my next fabulous job in PR, a lot of these people are just trying to get a job at the local grocery store. Everyone comes from so many walks of life: some never finished high school, others hold Master's degree, but along the way, got off track. Being here really makes me realize how blessed I really am and more so, that I should not judge others because at the end of the day, we all started at the same place and just got off track somewhere. I use to have a really elitist mind-set, but now I value different ideals and beliefs. As long as I'm working side by side with my fellow brothers and sisters, I'm a happy camper. I can proudly say, I may be broke financially (ain't that the truth), but I'm not broke spiritually (not anymore, at least).
I could continue my rant, but I've gone on too long (my colleague told me post should be no longer than 400 words, scrap that (sidenote: I curse like a sailor, so trying to make a habit of substituting my bad words, hey no one said you have to perfect to work in PR).
To learn more about Breakthrough, check out their website: http://www.breakthrough.org/
To end, here's a snippit of Dr. King's speech "I've been to the Mountaintop":
.....The first question that the [religious man] ... asked was, "If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?" But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: "If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?"
That's the question before you tonight. Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to my job." Not, "If I stop to help the sanitation workers what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?" The question is not, "If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?" The question is, "If I do not stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?" That's the question.
