Clothing for Jan Hus

This week we did service in New York, and every day was a new and exciting experience. Every organization that we worked with had a different model for handling poverty, hunger, and homelessness. I have seen many different programs in action, each with their own little twist. It is encouraging to see so many people actively working to help those living in poverty, but unfortunately it is still not enough. Thousands of people still go to sleep on the streets or with an empty stomach every single night, and this poverty abomination needs to be stopped. My experiences this week have led me to new discoveries about myself and how I view poverty.

One of my favorite service sites this week was Jan Hus, an organization on the Upper East Side that is affiliated with a Presbyterian church. They have clothing closets for men and women and a food pantry for those who are experiencing hunger. Each day, they open their doors and serve those who are in need.

When I was volunteering, I spent a majority of my time in the men's clothing closet. I absolutely loved helping these men, who were working hard to create positive change in their lives, find nice clothing to wear to interviews or just for casualwear. While I truly enjoyed helping these gentlemen find a nice dress shirt in their size, I also dealt with a lot of frustration while in the clothing closet. Some items, such as dress pants, ties, jeans, and shoes, were incredibly lacking. When I started my shift there were only two pairs of dress pants and one tie available, and both were gone within a half hour.

I felt so much pain having to tell these men that I had no pants left for them. Their need were so great and the provisions so small. Speaking of small, there was a decent amount of small sizes but few options for L-XXL, which was what a majority of the men needed. While I was in clothing closet, I was hit by a strong desire to do something to help these people. I want to go out and buy a bunch of men's clothes to donate to clothing closets, I want to encourage others to donate what they don't use anymore, etc. But most of all, I just want to be able offer these wonderful people, who deal with financial and emotional stress on a daily basis, quality clothing that they would be proud to wear. I want them to wake up in the morning and know that they have nice, stylish clothing that will send them into the interview room confidently.

I know that there is so much more to the poverty crisis than a lack of nice clothing, but why not give people clothing that they are comfortable in and proud of in the meantime? Just because the system hasn't changed yet, that doesn't mean that those who can't afford food and clothing need to starve and wear rags. I appreciate what organizations with clothing closets and food pantries are doing. Their services are so important to the day-to-day functioning of people's lives. Without places like food pantries, many people wouldn't be able to survive.

Working at Jan Hus also helped me realize how much I truly have to be grateful for. I am lucky enough to walk into a store and pick the specific food and clothing that I prefer. The people we helped only got to choose from clothing donations and whatever was sent up for them from the pantry based on their food preferences. I am so blessed, and I don't want to take all of the opportunities and resources I have for granted. Most of all, I want to give back and serve others, putting them before myself regardless of their social or economic status.

Allison