Bridging Along Beall makes impact
College of Wooster senior Jordan Griffith, left, and sophomore Halen Gifford spend the morning at People to People scraping and cleaning the pantry floors.
Bridging Along Beall Avenue is a College of Wooster project designed to bring together a diverse group of community members and college students.
This year participants are exploring issues of poverty and homelessness in the area.
Last month a meal was shared on the college campus; this month the group spent an entire Saturday morning at People to People Ministries in Wooster for a community-service project.
“I think there are two things that bring people together quickly,” said Nate Addington, director of civic and social responsibility at the college and one of the Bridging Along Beall co-founders. “Those two things are a shared meal and a shared experience.”
The shared experience brought 35 much needed volunteers to People to People to help with everything from cleaning floors, to sorting clothes, to folding mountains of donated bags.
Sharing an experience that involves helping others offers an added dimension to the connection between people. “This is a way we can bring folks together and bring down some walls,” Addington said. “You engage in conversations with people while you are doing the volunteer work. You learn about the community. You learn about the people that you are serving and the people you are serving with.”
The morning of service began with an introduction to People to People by the director of operations, Joe Szeker. That was followed by a tour through the agency.
Jim Byrd has been volunteering with the agency with his wife for years. His father and father-in-law began the bicycle program. During the tour he said he hadn’t fully realized how large the facility was and how expansive the scope of the agency.
Within 10 minutes of work scraping the pantry floor, College of Wooster senior Jordan Griffith had the beginnings of an idea for exposing college students living nearby to the reality of day-to-day life in the community they’ve become a part of for four years.
“Maybe we should have them come down to People to People for a couple of hours each month to get them out of their bubble to see and understand the larger community. It’s just a brainstorm of ways to get everyone to learn about the people they live near,” he said.
Barb Friedhoff, Denise Bostdorff and Aaquib Andrabi worked together sorting clothing and hangars during the morning.
Andrabi has been living and working in Wooster for nearly seven years. “I want to be more involved in the community,” he said. “I have heard a lot about poverty in Wayne County, and I want to help as much as I can.”
Friedhoff likes being part of intergenerational groups and groups that span the college community. “I have the time, and I’m interested in community and relationship-building,” she said.
Friedhoff shared what she said she always tells people about volunteering. “I can, so I should.”
Bostdorff is part of the team that put together Bridging Along Beall last year.
“From this session at People to People,” Bostdorff said, “I hope participants take away a greater understanding of the needs of people in poverty and the opportunities that there are in the community by which they could help.”
While all participants have agreed that shared individual comments regarding any of their Bridging Along Beall experience remain confidential, there was a common thread to the group discussion at the conclusion of the morning.
The majority of students and community members volunteering had never been inside People to People and had little information about what the nonprofit actually does.
Individuals were surprised at the breadth of services offered, the intense needs of the community being served, and People to People’s need for volunteers and financial support.
By the end of the morning, several people had decided to begin volunteering regularly.
Szeker took the opportunity to share People to People’s most urgent needs.
In terms of food, dry cereal of any kind and canned fruits like fruit cocktail are huge needs. They also are in need of volunteers to help with a wide variety of tasks.
“And we need a few more people who are able to lift 30 pounds or more,” Szeker said.
Additionally the agency has a one-time need of someone with the ability to install a television.
And there is one thing nearly anyone can assist with. Szeker said People to People always needs paper and plastic bags. Half a dozen volunteers spent the morning sorting and folding donated bags, so if individuals have time to sort and fold their bags before donating, it is greatly appreciated.
At the end of the morning, the operations director was applauded by the volunteers for the work his agency does beyond simply handing out food and clothing.
As Bridging Along Beall participants said at the conclusion, the organization treats their clients with dignity and respect, truly listens to their needs, and offers active solutions.
Szeker said, “Come in anytime and talk to people [in the waiting area.] The more folks we have in here talking to people, the more things start happening.”
People to People Ministries is online at www.ptpm.net. Volunteer applications can be mailed to People to People Ministries, 454 E. Bowman St., Wooster. Email joe@ptpm.net or michelle@ptpm.net to set up an appointment.
“Bridging Along Beall is tremendous,” Szeker said. “It’s bringing a greater awareness to what we do and what the need is in our area. We’re learning about each other. The community learns about People to People, and we get to learn more about the community and the college students.”