Would You Like to Pitch in to Feed Veterans?
It occurs to me that Steemit is full of philanthropic-minded individuals. On the tail of my last post, I wanted to share that part of my class, Writing After War, is providing food and drink each session to attendants. I chose to create a writing class including a food component for several reasons.
Last night we had donuts from a local shop. Next week Dominos is catering and Hoosier Athletic Club is hosting.
Image Credit
Some reasons to provide food are:
1. Accessibilty
There are plenty of veterans where I live who are either homeless or disabled. This can make food accessibility scarce. So, providing a free meal one evening a week within a skill-driven, group setting is a win-win.
2. Appreciation
A lot of the folks I work with want to tell their stories because they feel unheard. I am anti-war, and I don't pretend not to be with my students. But that doesn't bar me from compassion for these human beings who have come through complicated journeys and are now looking for support in processing their experiences. Whether I think war should be fought or not, we are all deserving of love.
3. Grounding
Many of the stories my students tell are trauma-based. Having food on hand allows them a different focal point. I'm not talking about emotional eating. A spread on the table creates a community setting. Food is an equalizer. Just as we all feel hunger and satisfaction, we all feel pain. Those bridges can be crossed more readily when a meal is shared which allows us all to stay more present when the past threatens to overwhelm.
4. Caretaking
This is another community action. The food I provide is usually donated by individuals (including myself) or local businesses. When I serve my class a meal and tell them, "This was donated by Dominos," students feel valued. They are being cared for beyond the classroom, by people who don't even know them. People like me who might despise war and U.S. politics or so much more. People who can put it all aside and just love people.
If you are a person like that and you want to make a donation to feed my Writing After War classes, please feel free to send SBD or Steem to @shawnamawna with "Writing After War" as the memo. I will account for it as I did with Love for Lili and Cookies for the Homeless. This class is ongoing so please donate any time.
A note: I drink the coffee I provide, but I don't eat the donated food. It's for the students only and they are allowed to take any leftovers home. If they don't, I pass extras on to students and staff on the Ivy Tech campus with the veterans' permission.
Great reasons to have food and those donuts are making me hungry! Sounds like a fantastic class you've organized.