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Service Learning 

The service learning experience in Coventry was at the Coventry Food Bank. It was one of my favorite experiences because I got to interact with the people of Coventry and learn about their community as well as how the people of Coventry were helping those in their own community. Upon arriving to the Food Bank, we were shown a presentation on the poverty levels and poor neighborhoods that were in Coventry. We then walked around the storage warehouse that held the majority of the food, clothing, and other supplies that the food bank would hand out to those who needed it. The warehouse was very impressive and something that really took me back. I realized how much the need was for food in Coventry.

We were then taken to the location of that day's food bank, which was at a Methodist Church in one of the poorest neighborhoods in Coventry. We learned about the process that the volunteers do to make sure that each family/household that comes gets what they need. Each person from the household has an information sheet that tells explains why they need help from the foodbank (i.e. less work, lost job, unemployed, recently immigrated, etc.) as well as how many family members were in that household. The volunteer would then ask that individual a series of questions to make sure it was the same individual, that all the information was correct, and then about specific needs/wants for the household. For instance, they would ask if they want tea or coffee, pasta or rice, and then if they need food for pets, want toiletries, etc. I thought this was a great system because it was structured and organized, but also personal to the individual and/or family's needs.

Contact Email: jncarlson7@ufl.edu

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