A Semester of Building Bonds

My time at Hospitality House served to help me build relationships with residents and employees, learn practical skills, as well as gain perspective from clients, each with a differing background facing adversities. My favorite aspect of this work experience was how hands-on it truly was; I was stationed in the Boone Brook Hollow Complex, both behind the desk helping with various tasks, as well as working in the kitchen and pantry. This gave me a front row seat into how each employee works together as a team, even with their different roles.

One thing I admire about Hospitality House is its commitment to provide nutritious meals and donation boxes. I loved seeing the variety in foods given to anyone in need, with special events such as the super bowl bringing everyone closer together to watch the game while eating hotdogs freshly prepared by the kitchen staff. While I was initially hesitant to throw myself into the ring of handing out trays to the clients for dinner (being an unfamiliar new face in my first few days), I was delightfully welcomed by clients and the staff alike. Even in the beginning, clients showed an effort to remember my name and start conversations with me that made me feel like I was more than just a worker they saw on the weekends, and closer to a friend. Some of the stories shared by the clients really opened my eyes to how hard life of those facing housing insecurity can really be, and how important the community is to help those faced with unfair circumstances. Despite these tough times and situations, many of the clients maintain a kind, positive attitude that really inspired me in my own life to express more gratitude. 

My project for my internship was to revive and expand upon the activities program lost during the Covid-19 epidemic, which allowed access for residents to different games and sports through fundraising. I’m happy to say that the community provided enough funds to invest into sports equipment such as footballs, badminton, and a basketball hoop, as well as board and card games. I’m excited to see how this program will improve the quality of life for clients whether their stay is permanent or temporary, and glad I had the opportunity to be a part in helping make it happen. Thank you to everyone involved whether staff, volunteers, or donors for your hard work and dedication to Hospitality House. This was a life changing experience!