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Name : Tate D

Date Mar 2 19

Civic Engagement/Reflection

I chose to volunteer my time at the Back on My Feet organization, located in

Philadelphia. The non-profit organization operates in twelve cities across the United States and

focuses on combating homelessness through community support, conducting runs against

homelessness, and offering housing resources. The main duty of the organization is to enhance

physical exercise comprising of early morning runs and providing the individuals with not only

housing but also education and form of employment to make the recruits independent. I decided

to volunteer on March 9, 2019. After an early morning run, I joined the officials in the office and

I was lucky to meet a friend who explained the operations of the group in details. New members

are required to participate in the run three times a week for thirty days and qualify to join if they

achieve a 90% attendance. In the four-hour period that I spent at the facility, I learned so many

significant things, which made me see the aspect of humanity from a very different perspective. I

learned how easy it is changing the world into a better place and how little contributions by

individuals are capable of transforming the world. Even though I had limited time due to the

distance factor, I intend to commit to the runs, join the organization soon, and participate in

making the world a better place.

My theme portrayed the picture of an individual trying to transform society. Back on My

Feet served as the perfect platform to achieve my dream of wanting to help the poor especially

youths whose future seems unpromising. It never occurred to me that I would find a way of

achieving that any time soon until I volunteered at the organization. The organization helped me

eliminate the obstacles I felt like would hinder me from achieving the theme and I began viewing
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my plans with fewer complications. I have a feeling that the world has enough resources to make

all individuals live comfortably and all that is needed is that humans bring out the humanity in

them and act in togetherness. The Back on My Feet organization is a stepping stone towards

providing equity amongst human beings and an eye-opener to make individuals realize that all it

takes is that little effort. Volunteering at the facility helped me achieve my civic theme.

Regrettably, I only spent four hours in the institution which made my contribution so negligible

compared to what is done and the number of people who are still homeless in society. However,

I realized what it takes and I know it was a first step in the long journey.

In the world today, there are millions of people living in the streets yet there are even

more millions who have extra resources and who are willing to offer to those in need and all that

is lacking is a link between the two parties. Considering this, I would agree that after the activity

I felt like a more responsible citizen but I cannot take credit for promoting the freedom of others.

Instead, I realized how much I was capable of doing towards achieving my dream. All humans

are equal and deserve better and it is unfortunate that there are people including young children

who are homeless and even sleep hungry despite the vast resources in existence. After watching

some videos of the lives of some of the people that the organization has promoted I could not

help but wonder why I did not volunteer any sooner. Raised in a middle-class family I had all

that a young person would need and if all people would come together and spare the little

luxuries to house a homeless individual then we would make a significant step towards

eradicating homelessness. However, the life struggles I witnessed in the videos are now a

motivation and I intend to encourage my friends to become more responsible citizens and use our

freedom to help others obtain their freedom.

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I enjoyed the experience and found it to be more enlightening. Even though I helped no

individual directly, I interacted with the different faces of life firsthand. I understood how

privileged some of us are and how easy I can achieve my dreams since it no longer sounds as

complicated as it initially sounded. I intend to follow through with joining the organization

which is my holiday resolution. I also plan to start making little steps like informing my friends

and try to come up with a small project of collecting resources from willing families in the

neighborhood and visiting homeless families in the streets and assist them where we can.

Luckily, my three roommates already liked the idea and we have already written our application

letters to the institution and we intend to join the runs immediately schools close. Before

volunteering, I always thought that I had to finish school to begin chasing my dreams but the

visit revolutionized my thinking and I promised myself not to procrastinate on the matter

anymore. I learned how to improve the society we live in and I feel that am in the right path

towards achieving my dream of helping other people achieve their freedom and which is my

definition of a responsible citizen.

Reflection

At the beginning of the semester, I had considered dropping this course but it was

impossible since I needed it to get the credit in order to graduate. Little did I know that the

course would be more interesting than any other course so far. It took me only two classes to

realize that this would be my course of the semester and every time I thought of studying I would

begin reading a few pages of my notes or researching a little bit on the concepts learned in the

course before proceeding to other subjects. I enjoyed every topic and assignment and I could feel

the push to read ahead of the class and research deeply of every concept learned in class. The

epic of the fun came in the last assignment which required that we engage in civic activity. I got
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a chance to roll out my dream plans and the move changed my overall thinking from that of a

young person to a grown-up. I volunteered at the Back on My Feet organization and the

experience was wonderful. It helped avoid procrastination and enhanced my desire to better the

society despite the limited resources. The course guided us on how to interact amongst ourselves

and with society. Conversely, the civic engagement activity offered an opportunity to put what

we learned into practice. Personally, it helped me realize my potential and the encounter with the

other side of life became my motivation. Besides, the activity made me realize that if I cannot get

the resources to assist those who need them then I may become a link between those who have

and those who lack.