Ashley- 826 Chicago- Day Five

This was our last day to work with 826 so it was a bitter sweet one. We got to 826 Chi and were supposed to help with a field trip but it ended up being canceled. That gave us time to shop at the Boring Store that we had is the non-profit spy supply shop that helps fund the program. I bought a few post cards for friends back home and three of the book 826 had published of the kids work. Then we were given the assignment to pass out posters at local coffee shops that advertised volunteering at 826. We worked in groups of three to reach as many shops as possible. We had a list of shops and their addresses. Following the instructions on our smart phones we wandered the neighborhood. It was really fun to explore the area around 826. A lot of the shops were very supportive of the organization and a few didn’t even know it was there. It was important for 826 to get the word out in the community. Most of their volunteers are average community members who give up a good portion of their work day to help out. After that we helped out with the small task that the 826 workers could throw us. My task was to find local paint shops who might be interested in donating paint for the prom decorations. This was something I was very confiedent I could do. I am a student caller for KU Endowment and my job is to ask for donations from alumni for the university. So I have a lot of experience with asking for donations considering I have been calling for 2 years now. It made me feel really good that I was able to use a skill that I had developed in my job now to help them. We called about 7 different places in walking distance and one offered to help. Megan and I then walked to the shop to see what he was able to donate. It was not much but I made sure he knew that it really does make a difference and we also encouraged him to get involved in volunteering as well. As we walked back with our gallon of paint I felt like I had actually been able to do some good for 826. That experience really made me realize that I want to work with non-profits in my professional career and not just as a volunteer or part time job. Seeing the passion the 826 Chi people had for what they didn’t also solidified that this is what I want to do. I know from this experience that whatever work I do in the future I want it to have a bigger picture purpose. I feel this trip was a much needed experience for me to see what I want to do with my life. I am so glad I did it no words can describe.