Volunteer at America Wheat Mission
Activity: Co-leading at America Wheat Mission in NJ
Term of Activity: Oct. 2023- Nov.2023
Name of Sponsoring Organization: Milal America Wheat Mission
Details of Activity: Led activities for individuals special needs and their high school volunteers. Activities include games like bingo, encouraging physical activity like dance, and helping with manual dexterity by personally leading an origami class.
What I learned: I have worked closely with Milal from Fall 2023 until moving to Philadelphia for school, and when I had the opportunity to return for a few weekends during breaks to help, it was such a joy. I love working with the special needs population, and have found it to be immensely rewarding. At the end of the day, they are simply human like us, and each person has such a bright and unique character. The high school volunteers I lead are also such a fun group to be with, and I love the opportunity to build a relationship and help lead them as an older sister and mentor figure.
How it aligns with my career: It was through volunteering every Saturday in my gap year that I grew a specific heart for the special needs community. It taught me how to handle many situations and to handle the unexpected with grace and flexibility. I also learned a lot in how to handle situations when I need to put my foot down, especially as a mentor figure who is responsible for both the high school volunteers and those we serve.