Research: St. Mary’s Dining Room
St. Mary’s Dining Room, which is an organization that’s mission is to feed the hungry, care for health issues and restore human dignity to many individuals on a daily basis in San Joaquin County. What started in an abandoned bar and restaurant in 1955 by Alan Mc coy, who began serving meals to the homeless in Stockton quickly began providing medical care for these individuals. Between the 1962 and 1987 St. Mary’s Dining Room relocated three times. In the years that followed, St. Mary’s Dining Room expanded their services and added a dental clinic. “St. Mary’s Interfaith Dining Room volunteers and staff are awarded the 734th “Point of Light” in recognition of their service to the community” in 1992. In 1997,…show more content… Mary’s Dining Room services included the Kara Brewer Family Clothing and Hygiene Center, medical care, dental clinic, social services, homeless court and head start. “The Kara Brewer Family Clothing and Hygiene center provides individuals access to hot showers, hygiene products and clothing”. The men’s department provides haircuts and the exchange of clothing. On the other hand, the women’s and children’s department provides shopping for a selection of clothing items.” The medical clinic offers services to those who are uninsured. To receive services you must have a ticket. Tickets are distributed on certain days of the week. It also offers eye exams and prescription glasses to those individuals in need. They also educate by offering health classes which are provided in both English and Spanish. The dental clinic is ran by volunteer professionals, including dentists and hygienists who provide needed dental care and education to their clients. The Social services center helps assists with completing applications and forms for various benefit programs, such as for Food Stamps, Medi-Cal and GR. “In addition, clients are provided with advocacy and referrals for securing emergency shelter, transitional housing and employment opportunities. Homeless families with children are also able to receive school supplies, backpacks and uniforms.” The Homeless court “allows individuals to clear up old traffic tickets, minor criminal charges and fines”. Finally, the head start program…show more content… Mary’s Dining Room my expectations as a volunteer at this organization are many. I expect to gain an important sense of camaraderie and teamwork. I expect to meet new and interesting people and establishing networking contacts. “Volunteering is an excellent way to expand your professional network. By working with others toward a common goal, you form relationships and connections with others who care about the same things you do. These relationships often pay dividends down the road when you are looking for a trusted source to ask for advice, provide support or just brainstorm around an idea. The connections you make with fellow volunteers can become friendships that last far beyond the volunteer opportunity that brought you together” (Hamp). I’m hoping to not only give back to my community, but to grow as a person. What I mean by growing as a person is to gain some type of purpose that is meaningful in my own life. I’m hoping to make a difference and have fun doing it. I expect to learn and teach. I look forward to improving my interpersonal skills, self- confidence and my critical thinking skills. I hope I can make deep connections with people and feel like volunteering as made me a more social person. I’m hoping that be the end of my time here I find and can give someone else a sense of purpose, inspiration or even a feeling of