Communities Essay

Communities Essay
Communitites
When most people talk about community, they think of a location, an area in which people live. By definition "community" is a group of people living
in the same location and under the same government. Community can also be defined as a group of people with the same common interests or
segments in society. However, these definitions, which can be found in anydictionary, are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to explaining what
community really is. Community is the memories and traditions of a certain area, as well as the interactions and responsibilities of its members. In
order to truly belong to a community people must follow a set of values. These communal values are needed to provide stability among...show more
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Many times it is the responsibility of the community to speak out about problems. Communities are "the only effective power that can limit
consumption, pollution, and the degradation of nature" (Ehrenfeld 21). A program such as Neighborhood Watch is a good example of people coming
together on a community level to fix and prevent problems.
Another aspect of good community, which can be seen in farm communities, is the idea of stewardship and treatment of the land. In the past, the
communal system in farm communities was that everyone relied on each other for survival. Then with the introduction of modern economic systems,
that was drastically changed in some areas. Farmers then relied more on making a profit and getting the most money out of their land. David Kline
represented his ideas that one must be "a steward to the mysteries of god" (39). This example of how farm communities have changed resembles some
of the problems facing large rural communities today.
One major problem with communities today is that people frequently move between different areas where every house looks identical. Such
communities are like packaged communities and lack dynamism. Harry W. Paige would call people living in packaged communities, "the rootless
ones," because they lack a sense of place and belonging. Paige also expresses the idea of retirement communities and how they can never mimic the
real feeling of home. Even if they claim to be living
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Example Of A Community Essay
I believe a community is a group of people who live in a common location. The community is filled with people who have and share similar interests,
income, ethnic backgrounds, and religious beliefs. There are many different communities throughout the United States that vary in their interest,
beliefs, backgrounds, education, etc. I believe this plays a part in affecting the community's health care, jobs, resources, etc. For example, there could
be a wealthy community made up of doctors and lawyers who receive the best housing and the best health care. However, there could be a community
within fifteen minutes of those same doctors and lawyers who are hard blue–collar workers that receive adequate health care and housing. This also
could be the same for a community who is considered poor and has no health care and little opportunities for housing and jobs.
My community is located on the southwest side of Chicago in a town known as Garfield Ridge. In my community, I noticed many of the houses are
similar in size and majority of the community consists of individuals who are of Irish or Polish descent and who are of a Catholic religious
background. I know this because I grew up in this community and by driving around you can see many Catholic churches, private Catholic schools, and
the individuals outside and in shops are all Caucasian. The surrounding restaurants and bars are either Irish or Polished named. In the community, many
people are fireman, police, teachers, and

The Role of Community in Society Essay
The Role of Community in Society Communities are an essential part of our society, because we all depend and interact with each other.
Communities are groups of people that help an individual to learn and develop new ideas. A society is where people's relations with each other are
direct and personal and where a complex web of ties link people in mutual bonds of emotion and obligation. The idea of community has provided a
model to contrast to the emergence of more modern less personal societies where cultural, economic and technological transformations have uprooted
tradition and where complexity has created a less personal and more rationalized and goal directed...show more content...
When governments view themselves as centralized command centers overseeing national life and development, neither citizen initiative nor
partnership can become significant forces in overcoming poverty and addressing social problems. Today, governments are beginning to conceive of
their role and their functions in more facilitative and enabling terms, asking which functions do they need to perform and which can they share with
other segments of society. In a time of increasing demand for good governance, governments see the need to perform a more focused role more
efficiently and competently. To achieve this, they need to establish working partnerships with both the private sector and the civil society sector to
solve social problems and reduce economic inequities. In countries where it is feasible, additional public resources need to be raised for such social
development efforts. For a tri–sector strategy to fully succeed, the newly emerging civil society sector in many countries requires strengthening and
support. National laws and practices need to be revised to create an enabling framework for a flourishing, independent civil society sector. The sector
needs training and capacity–building to help it to perform its major functions effectively and accountably and to

Ideal Community to Me Essay examples
Introduction: Everyone has their own perception of an ideal community. The selection of components for any ideal community will vary depending
upon the upbringing, culture, norms and values that prevail within any individual portraying view of an ideal community. Ultimately the task is to
develop or construct such a community whose underlying principles, values and system of administration is based on key notes which shall be ideal
for all of the people that live in that community irrespective or their religion, caste, creed, race, culture, ethnicity and other dogma that prevail within
them. Construction Of an Ideal Community: To construct such a community we need individuals with specific traits and qualities who work for the
...show more content...
The reasons mentioned above are huge to me and my ideal community, because as many of them state they promote a huge sense of togetherness and
this would be key in any community of mine. Law and order: Residents are supposed to adhere to the laws of the country along with observing
community rules and regulations. The rules and regulations shall be made in a way that all residents shall have independence within their individual
capacity but activities of residents that may offend or disturb another resident within the community will not be permissible as it can disturb the
community. Health, social & spiritual needs: My ideal community will propagate equality of rights in terms of health, social and spiritual needs. All
communities should be allowed to practice their faiths to a capacity where it does not offend others, and this would be the case in my ideal community.
I feel that quality health care is a required service that must be present within not only my ideal community, but within any community anywhere. In
regards to this, health care facilities, hospitals, and the proximity to them will be key within my community. In case of emergency immediate attention,
for myself, friends, family, and fellow community

What Is A Community Definition Essay
Amina Swallah Definition essay What is a community? According to the dictionary a community is a social group of any size whose members
reside in a specific locality ,share government , and often have a common cultural and historical heritage . Whereas to me a community means;
having a group of people I feel secure with, people that help each other and people that respect one another. Growing up, I always had the support
of my community. My community always looked out for me (in what way). Whenever my parents were at work, I would always stay with one of
my neighbors until they returned. I always felt very secure with my community in Ghana, because they were always there for me physically,
emotionally and financially. As a child I was really clumsy which resulted into many scars, so usually on my way home from school, whenever I had
a scar somewhere, one of my neighbors would always offer to treat and medicate it before I even got home. moreover whenever I had problems with
my mom , I always had the...show more content...
I think that is why we always lived in tranquility. There are a few common examples of different situations in which my community shows respect to
each other. One of the biggest ones is that kids always respect the elderly, parents and teachers. which I believe is the total opposite in American culture
because, I see that kids do not value and respect the elderly, teachers not to mention their own parents. But my community in Ghana, kids mostly obey
everyone that is older than them , whether relatives or not, and they never talk back to adults or anyone whose older than them . nonetheless parents
,teachers and the elderly also respect themselves. people in my community always help one another when they see someone carrying something heavy
outside. Although people also care for one another they are always very mindful of others

Reflective Essay About A Community
What do you think of when you hear about a community? My first thought was that a community had to be a small group of people that share a
common interest, but why can't a community be a large group of people with things in common? I understand it can be. A community can be a large
or small quantity of people that have any one thing in common. When I hear the word community, I see various of images. I see numerous numbers
of people with such a variety, but coming together as one with commonalities. So, when I was asked to write about a community in my life I had no
idea how to choose my topic, there is so many options, however, when we were assigned to read the article "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" written by
Ann Hulbert I got my inspiration to write about my generation because I do believe my generation stands out from the past generations....show more
content...
While there are hundreds of countries filled with people in my generation I want to focus mainly on the people in my generation that I grew up with
because many of the people can relate to them. Generation z is one whole generation filled with millions of young adult just starting their lives, in
spite of that, I still thing of my generation as a community of people that interact on an every day bases. My generation also known as "generation z"
is a community of people typically born between 1995 to 2012 that share many things in common, but one significant thing is that we all grew up in
the same world around the same time. Just in this area alone there are thousands of us who interact with each other every day. I feel that generation z
has seen drastic changes in technology and education in recent years. Theses significant changes have altered how generation z and future generations
will live their

Community Profile Sample
Introduction
The community I am going to introduce you to is located in Cataumet. It is a great but little town located next to Falmouth Massachusetts. The
community I am going to deliberate about is my neighborhood on a street named Shearwater Drive. I first became part of this community about a
month after moving into my new house after I met everybody that lived near me. It's a small neighborhood with houses that go around a coldisac at
the end of the road .The houses across from me have been there for about forty years. There are only two houses that are new which is mine and my
other neighbor's house that have been there for only about three years built from the ground up. My neighborhood community I belong to is simply
amazing. It consists...show more content...
When I tell people about the group I'm lucky enough to be a part of they either don't believe a neighborhood could work in a positive way together
or they are jealous that there are not a member personally .Most people don't know how I can have such strong relationships with my " neighbors
".And to be quite honest I've lived in three towns trough out my life. In the three towns I have previously lived in I have never been this close to any
of my "neighbors" nor would I even imagine having these strong bonds and friendships with the people who live right next to me .Surprisingly the
lady I have mentioned before Nancy has a lot in common with my family and is the closest with my family because of the struggles both of our family
endured in the past .Our community is full of loving and non–judge mental people. But the best is we all know when we are going through something
negative in our life that is when our bond is the strongest. We all come together and each do something for the person who is going through a hard
time. Whether that's cooking for someone, taking their dog out, giving people rides places. Those are just a few examples what we do for each other
when things get tough .I can honestly say I don't even have family members that would do what the members of the community do or would do for me
.Effect of honor and humiliation on community members is never

Community Needs Assessment Essay
Research Method Paper
A Community Needs Assessment
Research is conducted in a variety of different ways using different methods and methodologies. How these methods are used is imperative to how
clear and accurate research will be. Community needs assessment is a research method used by many researchers that assists in finding gaps within a
particular target group within a particular community. Throughout this paper I will discuss what a community needs assessment is and when and how it
is used. I will also discuss some of the strengths and limitations of this method. I then continue to explain some theoretical and practical perspectives
when dealing with this method and how it would apply when conducting your own research in a...show more content...
When conducting a needs assessment, people's needs with in the community are assessed to see where gaps lie and improvements can be made. If
carried out and reported correctly these needs are then bought to local government or relevant organisations/peoples attention, giving the opportunity
for programs to be put in place to benefit the people of the community. This is where the third step of Finifter, Jensen, Wilson & Koenig (2005)
process comes into place; the implementation of projects to assist where the gaps were found. "Implementation of recommended solutions should be
the ultimate goal of any project to improve services and quality of life of a target population (Neely, T R)." The more efficient all three steps are carried
out the stronger this method becomes. "The importance of disseminating results effectively using these guidelines cannot be stressed enough. A needs
assessment will have achieved nothing if the results are not communicated effectively (Neely, T R)."
Theoretically, community needs assessments are a great way to identify gaps within communities and improving the life of individuals within a target
group. If there is a collaboration of all three components of the community needs assessment model, Assessment, Dissemination and

Defining Community Essay
What do you think about your neighbours? How do you feel about your schools? What do you think about your community? Community has always
been a big part of our lives and it has been here since the day we were born. We might even live on the same street, but we grow up in different
households and this results in many different views on communities. The many definitions of our community may include our home, our heritage, and
even our religion. First, community is our "home." We have been living in a community ever since we were just little babies and it has always
influenced us. Communities have played a big part in who we are today. We start off in school not knowing anyone or anything and as you get older
you begin to think about the...show more content...
They go back to our ancestors that have originated our last names. There is background for almost every last name in your community and that is
the great thing about it. Long after you are deceased, you will be remembered for the great things you have done. You will not just be remembered
for yourself, but for the things that you have accomplished in your community as well. You will always be recognized and remembered for the
things that you chose to do in your community. Community is a big part of you and everything you do will be associated with it. Third, Community
is your religion. The day you begin to realize what community means to you is the day you begin to believe in it. Anywhere you go, it will be an
instinct for you to represent your community, whether it be through sports or just leisure travels. You represent what means most to you and will
always defend it the best you can. Community is not an actual religion, but it is a personal religion. The best way to define a community will never be
clear. You have your own feelings on communities and our thoughts on it will always be different from everyone else's. Everyone has a different
perspective on communities, it is endless. All of the definitions relate to what I think about a community. Community to me means "home". A
community is where I have grown up and learned important life lessons. The things that matter most to me in my community are my family, my

My Discourse Community Essay
Brainstorming
A discourse community comprises of a group of people sharing a common and distinct mode of communication or discourse, especially within a
particular domain of intellectual or social activity (Oxforddictionaries, 2017). Some of the discourse communities I consider to be a part of, include an
Indian joint family, my peer group, high school education in India, the Apple community and education at Pace university.
I hail from a Hindu joint family in the South of India. My parents have inculcated the values of culture, religion, respect, love, humility and care for
others ever since I was a child while my grandparents have coddled me with gifts and stories from their childhood in pre–independent India. I grew up
in a multilingual...show more content...
My parents were kind to provide me with the opportunity to have first–hand knowledge about the latest technology in Apple and provided me with
some Apple products as they deemed fit. I feel a part of the Apple community also because of the sophisticated vocabulary provided by Apple to its
users to provide a sense of community. For example, iPhotos is used to describe a gallery of photos, iBooks is used to for a book app, iMessages,
iTunes for music and many others.
My desire as a child to travel the world led me to my education at Pace University, first of my many destinations. The teaching methodology, the process
of assigning homework, the serene atmosphere in the campus and the ever–helping faculty and staff have already instilled confidence in me. This has
helped me ease out of my comfort zone to explore and innovate. Gaining my higher education in America has exposed me to a whole new set of
scholastic vocabularies such as credit hours, GPA, courses, Greek life involving sororities and fraternities and

Essay on The Concept of Community
THE CONCEPT OF COMMUNITY IS PROBLEMATIC. COMMENT ON YOUTH, CULTURE AND POSTCODE RIVALRY IN INNER CITY
LONDON
Community has been described and interpreted in different ways. It has been explained by different people in their own understanding and views. The
concept of community could be associated with the beliefs, culture and interests. In this essay, the concept of community, what it is and the different
types of community will be discussed. Also, the association between community,youth and its influence on the environment will be acknowledged. In
addition, in this essay, issues on ethnicity, culture, youth, racism andcrime will be discussed. The question 'what a community is' will be addressed.
The concept of community has been...show more content...
In a society, he shares the spirit of solidarity, togetherness and social cohesion within the society.
Despite living under a locality, an individual often belong to other communities outside his or her geographical domain. On occasions, people
discover that they belong to diverse groups with special interests that make them members to these communities. There are instances when a group
of people who live in different land space or geographical zone. On occasions, there have been people with a collective voice in different mapped out
areas of the world. This may be as a result of migration. An example is when an Asian couple migrates from their birth place in Bombay, India and
decides to settle in the United Kingdom. When the family broadens with children, it encourages diversity of society in life of the younger generation.
Language, food, religion and other beliefs in India are introduced to the children, even though they reside in the United Kingdom. Tyler (2003) explains
that there are more to the buildings and accommodation of the society make up the society. He goes on to explain the idea that it is a notable fact that
relationships are developed among the local group. It may be taken to account that the good function of every community depends on the population
that resides in and within the environment.
However, the ethnicity of every individual is unique to him

Essay on The Importance of Community
Community is very important and has many factors like kinship, unity, and identity. Community helps society because it creates solutions, provides
security and reveals dedication. It discovers truthfulness. Communities are part of everyday life and have positive affects on its members.
Communities can be found everywhere and can be created anywhere. You may be unaware of it, but you are part of acommunity not only based on
your location, but also based on your lifestyle, your religion, your heritage, your education, or your abilities. As Hewitt once said, "Community
provides a psychological world and a place of identification for its members." Identifying yourself with a particular community may be easier than it
Observing others' behaviors lets one realize and understand more about different types and kinds of people. Seeing how certain groups or communities
act or react to situations lets us see more perspective and hopefully appreciate their point of view. It is important to be part of communities for much of
the same reason. When you are part of a group, you understand and compromise with the other members of the group. Discussing issues involving the
community helps to lead to solutions. Talking things through with other members improves social skills as well as relationships. Knowing how people
feel about certain issues let you know more about that person, and in turn, you learn more about yourself. Hearing what other people have to say may
sway your own opinions about something. For example, maybe you are part of a church you thought you really believed in, but hearing the discussions
at the church meetings you start to think that you do not belong in this community. Though that specific church may be the right place for many, you
learn that you need a new church community. Churches are communities because the members are unified in their common beliefs. These communities
are like families because the members support and help each other religiously and they feel secure. Being a sound part of a community, you should
continuously learn more and more about yourself. As a member of a club, taking part in meetings and activities let you learn

Essay On Community Engagement
Abstract
Community engagement is the process by which the community benefits organization and individual to get the whole organization to involved in
whatever they doing. According to Rosie Niven, 2013 stated that community engagement is about creating the permanent relationship for the purpose
of the community. It is also by applying a positive and exiting collective vision for the community in order to make their area a better place to live in.
the important goal here is to actively engage the individual with the same views and the individual must an enthusiasm, interest and have the passion
for what they do. The engager needs to understand the significance and purpose or motive of their involvement in order for the community to fully
engage in any activities. It must be excited and fun even if it sounds boring. The individual is capable and has the power to amended the society if the
program becomes effectual.
McCauley Convent Sisters of Mercy is considered woman catholic faith–based organizations that serve the needy, people who are poor. They work
together with unity to pray and advocate for the vulnerable. The inspired founder of McCauley was Catharine McCauley. According Fritz 2015
indicated that In order for faith–based organizations to be considered they have to be in a strong project that is held by a religious congregation, a
nonprofit organization which is founded by a religious congregation or board partners of the religiously–motivated organization.

Essay on Community
Community
When community comes to mind, it reminds me of my own residence of living which encompasses the people, the parks, the REC centers and so on.
But if the deeper meaning of community is searched, it seems to be more specific than just theses things.
For example, there are communities that separate themselves from the rest of society and are distinguished by certain characteristics of mannerisms.
Some of these groups could be considered cults, certain ethnic groups, religious groups or even the "class" that one belongs to. A college could even
be considered as a form of community from a certain aspect. These are the things that separate us as...show more content...
Another example is religion. Religion in itself is considered a community simply because of the fact that people congregate together with a certain
belief system and they practice or show that belief through religion. Each religious group has activities, picnics, bake sales, etc., and do these things
to either draw others into their community or to simply enjoy themselves in an area where they feel comfortable being with others of similar feelings
or thoughts. Either way, some people feel a need to be involved with a religious community group in the same way that others like to be involved in a
gambling group. It's the way that it makes people feel and how they can express themselves or feel comfortable within that community setting.
There are other communities that are also easy to distinguish from each other and that is the upper, middle, and lower classes. The community settings
for these people can be very diverse when it comes to material settings or belongings, but the sense of community is still similar to others. It is stated
well in Daniel Kemmis's " How

What Does Community Mean To You Essay
What does community really mean? The definition of community is, "a group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in
common." I believe community is more than just a definition. Community means sticking together and accepting those within the community
My community involvement began as a Watermelon Princess candidate when I was in elementary school. Since then I have become involved in many
different activities. I am in 4–H and we have done several contributions to the community. Every year the Freetown Leprechauns 4–H club makes
Christmas ornaments for the nursing home. We go caroling at Hoosier Christian Village in Brownstown and give each patient an ornament. I
absolutely love doing this every year. The elderly people love to hear us sing and their faces light up every time. They even request songs for us to
sing sometimes. The Freetown Leprechauns have also taken up canned goods for the...show more content...
Singing at church is probably my favorite place to sing. The first time I sang in front of a crowd was at church and ever since then it has became
my favorite place to sing. Everyone is so nice at Freetown and always tells me I did a good job. Over the summer, I helped with VBS at Freetown
as well. It was only my second year helping with VBS, but I love volunteering for it. The little kids always have so much energy and are so
carefree. Although I am usually exhausted by the end of every night, I always leave with a smile on my face that the little kids caused. Another
activity I do every year is putting flags out on Liberty Church Cemetery in Norman. I have helped my dad with this for as long as I can remember and
it has always held a special place in my heart. Just last year, my dad handed the job completely over to me. Every year I look forward to placing flags
on the graves of veterans who fought for our country. I will always cherish memories of doing that each

What is a Community? Essay example
A community is established when more than two people share the same values and through time this personal connection evolves into a fellowship
governed by rituals, traditions, and a particular form of communication that when taken together makes a group of individuals whether living in a
specific geographical area or connected by ideals so distinct that their distinguishing marks allow them to stand out from among the crowd. They do not
just believe in something like an organization but they need each other to survive and thrive. A good example is the Old OrderAmish Mennonite
community wherein the community serves as source of identity, strength and provides the reason why they should sustain the community's way of life. It
Communities are affected, and in a sense defined by, forces that affect community members and their space. The forces can range from outside
organizations such as the government and large corporations ... These components of the community vary infinitely, and thus no two communities are
the same; even a given community is not the same over time (Cnaan & Milofsky, p. 1)
Based on this definition it is interesting to note that the Old Order Amish Mennoite community satisfies the requirements of place, interests and
communion. Aside from being a perfect example of a community the Amish people exemplify what it means to be a part of a community that it is their
source of identity, strength, and sustainability. Each individual exists for the community but as a whole the community nurtures each member and
therefore it is unthinkable for an Amish man or woman to leave their community behind. On the other hand many Americans feel they must "get
involved." In public life as well as in private, we can discern the habits that sustain individualism and commitment as well as what makes them
problematic. (Bellah, p.74) For the Amish Mennonite community the purpose of the community is very clear. First, it provides them a sense of
identity, not only who they are as of the present but also helps them to trace their origins and the reason for their

Individuality vs. Community
Communities Filled With Unique Individuals
There are many people in the world who go out of their way to make themselves more unique and more of an individual, as well as people who will do
anything to just be a part of a crowd or a community. Is it possible for an individual to be strictly an individual and not a member of a community, or
visa versa? Although everyone is their own person, and has their own unique personality, thoughts, and beliefs, we are all a part of a community,
whether that means the town we live in, the common interests we share with others, or the family we were born into. A community is defined as a
body of people that live believing the same interests and beliefs as others while sharing the same common...show more content...
I wanted to prevent myself from being merely a Negro writer." To do so, he decides to go somewhere where he thought he would not be labeled
under that category, Europe. While in Europe, Baldwin experiences that Europe labels one another also, but in a different way than America.
Europe does not label each other, but divides each other into classes. Baldwin soon realizes that no matter where you go you face identity
conflicts. Although Baldwin wanted more than anything to be a unique individual and not a part of a community, he could not. Even going to
Europe, he found out that he was still labeled into a certain group or community. It doesn 't matter who you are or what you do, you can be a
unique individual, but you will always be a part of a community. I personally think a lot of people have a problem on where they belong in life and
who they are. I for instance can relate. When I was in Junior High I had a problem fitting in and knowing who I was. I had friends, but I was not a
part of the popular group, so I felt that I was no one special. I felt like I was an outcast, a very unique individual and just wanted to fit in with the
cool kids. Unfortunately there is not a whole lot you can do at that age to fit in, because you are in that awkward puberty stage, but I could not realize
that at the time. So right before my eighth grade year, I decided to try out for the cheerleading team, in hopes

Essay on Commitment to Community
Commitment to community is a requirement for contemporary Americans and vital to its survival. "Love thy neighbor as thyself" is the unselfish act
of sharing: from a cup of sugar to a wealth of information to the guardianship of all children involved and the protection of every individual in that said
community. Whether that community consists of the "Classic Neighborhood, those with a common set of goals, or those who share a common
identity" the thread that holds this matrix together is always woven into the shared identity as well as responsibility of all involved. (Redmond, 2010).
A community cannot continue to exist through the will of withdrawn individuals who arms only embrace themselves and have no involvement
whatsoever with...show more content...
However, in the Gemeinschaft they remain essentially united in spite of all separating factors, whereas in the Gesellschaft they are essentially
separated in spite of all uniting factors. (Tonnies, 1957, p. 50).
Gesellschaft helps hide the dormant cells of individuality that rots any vibrant community. Responsibility to others becomes irrelevant and a useless
logo in the familiar diction of independence. Lone wolves in the wild hardly ever survive, yet, they will take advantage of the resources of their
habitat for as long as they can, even devouring the carcass of their own kind. So is the case of self–preserving individuals who will bankrupt the wealth
of the community with constant withdrawals from those committed to the survival of the group without ever making any meaningful deposits.
The sharing of information has to be the most vital entity, outside of unity, in a community. Common interests are supported, carried, and guarded by
those participants of a neighborhood or group. Alderman Edward M. Burke of the 14th Ward of Chicago has been alderman since 1969 after his
father's death in May 1968. The "Back of the Yards" community has continually supported him for over 30 years. In return the community has received
additional funding for education, land grants, public parks renovations, and millions of dollars poured into their ward. It has been in the community's
best and most common

I Am Making a Difference in My Community Essay
"Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul
motivated by love."
вЂ• Martin Luther King Jr.
Taking time to volunteer at the many nonprofit organizations, homeless shelters, advocacy centers, philanthropic fundraisers, local schools and child
care facilities in the inner city is not always at the forefront of young people's minds while navigating through their college experiences. But, with a
little push from student organizations, local nonprofits and passionate individuals, volunteerism and community change can start to take a front seat
and become not just an opportunity, but also a priority in the lives of young people....show more content...
A few times a semester I would volunteer at the Prison Book Program, where I would read letters from incarcerated individuals from all over the
country and find 2–3 books that match their interests and reading criteria. Opening each letter and hearing people's stories reminded me of the harsh
realities of our world today, and the difficulty many people face in preserving their human dignity and self–worth.
Whether guilty of crimes or innocent, our incarceration system is an issue that many activists rally around in terms of its success and promise in
correcting and rehabilitating criminal behavior. So, to read letters and hear the voices of those who are living on the marginalized edges of our
society, but who rarely have a voice in the issue that's being nationally rallied around, is an uncommon circumstance that should be noted and have
more attention and action drawn to. Their desire to educate themselves within the confines of a prison wall is real and heard by those of us who take
time to spend their weekday evenings in the bottom of a church basement, sorting through donated books, and reading literary wish–lists of those who
are incarcerated.
Another meaningful experience that sticks out to me is when I regularly volunteered at a children's homeless shelter in Roxbury, Mass. for two years,
and was reminded of the fact that the statistics we hear every day about homelessness are real people – not just numbers. Every child I played alongside,

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