Last Stop in North Carolina

Today was the day we went to the soup kitchen (The Open Door). We were able to spend the day with the community, it was eye opening to say the least. Last night, to prepare for our adventure today, a few of us students went to the stores and had $650 to donate to The Open Door. We were able to get things like soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shirts, socks, and tons of canned goods. It was very empowering to be a part of something like that. Today, we took all of the stuff we donated and handed it out to the community and it made it all worth it. They were thankful, some of them used their stuff as soon as they got it. The people we met today face many challenges, such as lack of work, lack of resources, lack of support, lack of basic human need (food and etc.), and a lot of them struggle with addictions. The Open Door offers many different programs. They serve two meals a day Monday through Friday, one meal a day on the weekend. They offer a thrift store, arts and crafts days, religious support, gas cards, prescription help, and they also get donations to give the community. They are also going to start an NA and AA group once a week, to help with the addictions. It was literally amazing to see how much this place does, they have saved many people. Another resource in this community is a place called Meridian. Meridian offers groups based on different things, such as behavioral health and addiction. They can give needed prescriptions and then the soup kitchen can pay for them, so the people can get what they need, which is awesome. Overall, I thought it was a great experience. I learned so much!






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