Temporary Emergency Services (TES) is a very efficient nonprofit organization committed to helping the less fortunate in the greater Tuscaloosa area. But, they struggle with a problem that is common among nonprofits – the lack of volunteer support.
Even though it has been six months since the devastating tornado, there are still many people in the Tuscaloosa area who are in need of basic necessities – nutritious food, seasonally appropriate clothing or money to help pay for rent or utilities. Every day, people are helped in each of those areas by TES staff and dedicated volunteers. But, a much greater impact could be made if more people would give their time and resources to help TES provide for these needy people.
We, as students, have so many luxuries compared with the lives of the clients of TES. Many UA students have an all-you-care-to-eat meal plan and take it for granted; yet some of the people helped by TES don’t have enough food for their next meal.
When I look around on home game Saturdays, I notice that almost every student has donned a special gameday outfit – and yet, some people in the Tuscaloosa community don’t even have a change of clothing. And as students living in the comfortable, climate-controlled dorms on campus, we don’t have to be concerned with paying a high utility bill, unlike many of the clients at TES.
Helping students bridge those gaps is one of the goals of the Community Service Center. Located on the second floor of the Ferguson Center, the CSC does an excellent job of coordinating events and service times to help UA students become involved in their community. They facilitate events such as the Sunday Service Initiative and Hands on Tuscaloosa. But, what some people might not know is that there are opportunities for students to volunteer any day of the week, working alongside student directors of the CSC. These directors volunteer their time every week at various nonprofits. There is even a student assistant director who volunteers at TES every Thursday.
Volunteer work obviously helps nonprofit organizations and needy people, but surprisingly, it is also beneficial to the people volunteering. It not only gives them a bigger picture than their own little world, but it also gets them out of their comfort zone. And, as a volunteer, it always lifts my spirit to know that I am making a difference. Sometimes when I go to help at TES, I arrive not looking forward to the experience at all, such as when I’m tired and just want to sleep, or when I’m in a sour mood because of all of my homework.
Each visit, by the time I leave, I am always surprised at how happy, awake and less stressed I feel, just from helping for an hour and a half.
I’ve been involved in only one of many different aspects with which TES needs help – working in the food pantry. When I go to work, I’m usually needed to unpack, stack and organize cans of food, as there are generally new donations that need to be processed. While working there, I have also been able to fill many paper grocery bags with soup, vegetables and other shelf-stable food items. These bags are given out to hungry people who come to TES for assistance. If unpacking canned goods isn’t for you, there are other opportunities to serve at TES, such as organizing non-food donations or interacting with clients.
Can you imagine what would happen if every student on campus took just one hour a week to serve in our community? We could effect real change in the Tuscaloosa area.
So, I encourage you to get your nose out of the books for a while or party just one hour less so you can get involved and connected in your community. Stop by the Community Service Center Office in the Ferguson Center, or create an account on slpro.ua.edu to start your service experience.
Even if the Thursday service time for TES doesn’t work with your schedule, there are many other ways to serve any day of the week. I challenge you to get involved through community service for the well-being of the greater Tuscaloosa area, not to mention yourself!
Laura Steiner is a freshman majoring in music performance.
