On Saturday, February 17th, 2018, the Wegene Youth Club held their annual homeless feeding at a homeless shelter in Washington DC. We arrived at the homeless shelter at 10 am and immediately began making lunches. We made both tuna and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. While some people made the sandwiches, others packed the lunches and water bottles into brown paper bags. We also prepared hygiene packages for the homeless that consisted of toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, toilet paper, hand sanitizer, and feminine hygiene products.

Wegene Youth Club members preparing sandwiches.

After roughly an hour of preparing the lunches and the hygiene packages, the Youth Club began handing out the meals and toiletries to the people in the homeless shelter. Everyone was very appreciative of our work and were very grateful that they received aid. One man even gave a speech articulating the shelter’s gratitude towards us, and he invited us to come back as much as we wanted.

Bilen preparing sandwiches.

This was my second WYC homeless feeding, and both times my experiences at the homeless shelter were very insightful. I was exposed to the hardship that many impoverished people face, which, unfortunately, is an adversity that is often overlooked. From this experience, I have been able to acknowledge how privileged I actually am. I have learned through first hand experiences that many people struggle to receive even one meal a day. The homeless feeding has made me much more appreciative of my circumstances and has encouraged me to provide aid for the less fortunate in my community.

About the Author

Bilen Essayas is a junior at McLean High School and the Event Coordinator for the Wegene Youth Club.