1. Some ideas to help you write “Your Story”:
What is your site name and where is it located?
What is your role at the site?
Who do you serve at your site? Who uses the services?
What do you enjoy about this work?
How has this experience challenged you?
What are your hopes for the year and the future?
How does this experience relate to your academic, career, or personal goals?
The Start of a Dream Come True
By: Melanie Hernandez
Since I was sixteen,I’ve beenstuckinthe never-endingcycle of fastfoodemployment.Franchise after
franchise,restaurantafterrestaurant,supermarketaftersupermarket,all the while, seekinga
professionalemployment.Unfortunately,Inevergot an interview.Duringmylastfew daysat BMCC
(currentlypartof the Lehmancohort),I wasapproachedbya studentwhowashandingoutflyersforthe
CUNY Service Corps. Thatwas the momentwhen mydreamswouldfinallycome true.
Afterthe selectionprocessIwasfinallyplacedat New YorkCares,Inc. as a Service Events Planner. New
York Cares,Inc. isthe largestvolunteermanagementagencyinNew York,servingmillionsof New
Yorkerseveryyear.
My firstdayat the office wasunforgettable asIwasgrantedmy veryowndesk,complete withmyown
computer,file cabinet,phone,andeverythingelseadeskshould have.Aftersettlingdown,Iwas then
giventhe freedomtochoose whatIwantedto workon and at whatpace, whichwasneveranoption
workinginthe foodindustry. Mymanagerquicklybegantosee how much potential I have, soshe
decidedto grant me my veryown events toplan.
My firsteventwasthe mostmemorable thusfar.Itwas a Christmaspartyfor a domesticviolence
shelterinthe lowereastside areaof Manhattan.Since I can relate socloselytothe childrenthatwould
benefitfromthisevent,Itookthe projectverypersonally. Ihadeverychildreceive theirveryown
Christmastree thattheywoulddecorate withhandmade ornaments, Christmaslights, anddecorative
garland. The volunteerswhoworkedmyeventalso had“Santa” bringthe childrenandmothersgifts.
Everyone wassooverwhelmedandsurprised thattearsrandownthe mom’sfacesuncontrollably.Each
familywasable tohave theirveryowncustom Christmastree anddonatedpresentsintheirroomsfor
Christmas.
Beinga CUNY Service CorpsInternhasgivenme the opportunitytofinallymake atrue difference inthe
livesof myfellowunderprivilegedNewYorkers,while alsoallowingme todevelopmyprofessionalskills
ina non-profitenvironment.All of myco-workersandco-internsare very inspiringandhelpful.There is
nevera dayat NewYorkCares,Inc. that I am not shoutingout the CUNY Service Corpsforgettingme
there.