P.O.T.S. - Part of the solution by Nicholas

P.O.T.S. - Part of the solution by Nicholas - January 2017 Scholarship Essay

For the past several months my family and I have volunteered at a food pantry in the Bronx called P.O.T.S., Part of the Solution. We go in 2 weekends a month and we help feed those who are less fortunate. They are families, single mothers with their children and homeless men and women.
When we arrive, depending on what is needed for the day, we help prepare meals, set tables and bag groceries. Some days are tougher than others. The piles of carrots and potatoes that need to be prepared for the day seem like mountains. The cardboard boxes that we have to recycle seem endless, but the look on the people’s faces when we serve them what we worked so hard at preparing is priceless. Knowing that I had something to do with helping put a meal in someone’s belly always makes me smile. I do not take what I have all around me for granted. I can go home, throw my clothes in a corner, look in my fridge and take out a snack and watch TV. I now see that not everyone can do this.
The most important rule that I learned from all this is respect. My dad always told my brothers and myself, “Respect is given to all people no matter if they are the janitor to the President.” I have finally seen what he means. I respect these people that come in off the streets for the brief period that I spend with them. I no longer look at them with disdain but with respect. I hope that if I were in that situation that someone would show me the respect that I think I deserve if the shoe was on the other foot. When I told my friends about my experience, they too where interested in helping out. Not only did they get there service hours in but now they too enjoy helping people in need. They tell me of their experiences and we share all the great success stories. It sure feels good to help.