Sustainable Building Science program lends hand to Northwest Housing Development
Service Learning is becoming a more integral part of technical and university education throughout the United States. Over 100 colleges and universities participate in Service Learning projects every academic year. At CPTC, programs like Environmental Engineering, Human Services, Massage Therapy, Barbering, and Cosmetology have all developed and taken part in Service Learning projects.
Read some of the student and instructor feedback from those experiences.
Karen D., CPTC Human Services Student, on her participation in a Service Learning project with the Northwest Food Bank:
I’ve never done anything like that in my life where I was in a factory scooping out peas in bags for families who need them. I really respect the volunteers and the employers who put the effort in so some families are not food deprived.
Annette B., CPTC Human Services Student, on her participation in a Service Learning project with the Northwest Food Bank:
I thought Northwest Harvest was great….. I have been to food banks in the past and never really thought about how the food I got, got to where [I collected it].... The amount of people that benefited from the peas I helped package is a lot; I think about that sometimes and am very happy I got a chance to be a part of that process. I learned that if we don’t have volunteers to do these things, there would be a lot of people doing without. I have talked to my family and friends about volunteering this summer. I [liked] the experience; I will definitely do it again.
John “Wayne” Dashiell Jr., Instructor of Human Services, Clover Park Technical College on the Northwest Food Bank Project:
The opportunity to participate in the Service Learning project with Northwest Harvest was a great bonding experience for my class. Through this experience the students were able to work together on a project that actually served the community. This was better than any team building exercise or classroom assignment I could give because it was real work for real people. We not only learned about what goes into running a food bank, but we also got to see the inner workings of the agency. Everything that was discussed that day is what we teach in the Human Services department and the students got to ‘see’ in action what they are learning about.
Here’s what the community partner had to say about the experience:
We began the New Year at Northwest Harvest with high hopes that in 2011 we would continue to meet the increasing need for hunger relief in Washington. Your wonderful gift of time helps make that a reality!
Back in March your Human Service program at Clover Park Technical College participated in the Northwest Food Bank Sort & Repack Operation in Kent, WA.
We are deeply grateful to you for your willingness to volunteer your valuable time volunteering for the Kent warehouse. Your generosity and compassion are making an enormous difference for the people we serve.
Your volunteer hours contribute greatly to our mission of providing nutritious food to hungry people statewide in a manner that respects their dignity, while working to eliminate hunger. All of us at Northwest Harvest appreciate your ongoing volunteer support and congratulate you on your service. Our vision is that ample nutritious food is available to everyone in Washington State. Working together, we might just see this vision become a reality!
Our entire staff and board of directors continue to be inspired by all that our volunteers do. Each of you is contributing priceless time and talent to help care for our community in a time of great need. Unprecedented numbers of people are in line every day at food banks and meal programs throughout Washington State. Fortunately, thanks to a caring community and special volunteers like you, we are able to help.
Again, on behalf of the people we serve, my heartfelt thanks for a job well done!
In gratitude,
Stephanie Davison | Volunteer Manager, Northwest Harvest
