Serving Up Smiles

I've always had an interest in the culinary arts, but it's never been my ultimate life goal. However, over the course of my internship this summer I fell in love with the process of preparing and serving dinner everyday at the shelter. One of the very first interactions I had was with Richard, a non-resident who is a wizard at closing meal trays and making the coolest beaded necklaces I have ever seen. He was so kind and immediately made me feel like I belonged at the Hospitality House. Shortly after, I met Emily who is a very talented chef and the kindest Food Supervisor. She was willing to be patient with me and show me the ropes of how to prepare certain meals. I remember the first time I prepared a salad for dinner. Emily was so excited to show me how to do it and I was excited to serve it because she creates such a welcoming and warm environment in a place where it can be a bit stressful sometimes.

Every afternoon I am so excited to walk into the kitchen and catch up with Emily and Richard and any other friendly faces that may be in there. It's been a privilege to help prepare and serve dinner with different community volunteers and some of my fellow interns as well as the other Food Service staff, James and McKenna. I've gotten to build relationships with these folks who have been so kind, understanding, and helpful for which I am so grateful.

My favorite part about dinner is when we open the door and I get to hand out trays and drinks to clients. I get to chat with them for a second and see how they are doing. For a moment I get to connect to each of the residents at the shelter and creating those connections is really valuable to me as an aspiring Drama Therapist. Interacting with these folks who have undergone so much has been a rich learning experience that will guide me in my future career and everyday life. I have gotten to talk one-on-one with most of these clients and I hope, bring them joy, even for just a moment. Providing joy for others is all I've ever wanted to do and serving dinner with a smile has allowed me to do just that. I am so appreciative for the support system of the wonderful kitchen staff because they provide me with happiness and laughter while preparing the meal so I can give that back to clients while serving the meal.

Working in the kitchen has also allowed me to become very familiar with the ingredients in the pantry and walk-in fridges. Most nights my fellow intern Jess and I will make snack and I try my best to create fun snacks for clients to enjoy. Perhaps my favorite snack I have ever made were Strawberry Shortcakes. Thanks to donations from community members and local grocery stores, I was able to cut up strawberries, mix them with strawberry jam and scoop the mixture into dessert shells. That night we also served fresh veggie cups with ranch dip and snack was almost gone in an instant. The little bit of extra effort I put into plating meals or serving up food I have made for clients fills me with an intrinsic motivation like no other.

It has been such a phenomenal opportunity to provide support for others and I have a newfound passion for giving back to my community. I hope to provide as much support as I can to others throughout my time on this earth as this internship has show me it is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things I can ever do. I am beyond grateful for my internship at the Hospitality House and I will cherish this time and the lessons I have learned here for the rest of my life.