What would you do if you were homeless in Seattle? How would you get food? Where would you sleep? These are just a few of the tough questions facing a plucky group of Seattle eighth-graders who recently visited Food Lifeline.
The students are participating in the Seattle Challenge, a program created by the Seattle Academy that gives students a look at life through the eyes of a homeless person. During the program, students spend three days volunteering at agencies throughout the city, serving and cooking at meal programs, sleeping in simulated shelters, and walking to each site.
Earlier in the week, the students visited Operation Sack Lunch and the Millionair’s Club, both of whom get some of their food from Food Lifeline. Today, they volunteered at Food Lifeline to see a vital part of how food gets to people in need.
“We wanted to see the whole journey of how food gets to people,” says Bailey, Group Leader. “And go to a place where our kids could really see their impact.”
So what do the students learn during their 3 day challenge?
“The food was so good! They [Operation Sack Lunch] try hard to make their meals healthy.”
“We walk everywhere; today we are walking from Shoreline to Capitol Hill. It is tiring!”
Seeing the world from another person’s eyes can be a life-altering experience. We have a lot of hope in these future leaders of our community.
As one student said, “I didn’t know so many people cared. Or how many programs are out there to help.”
