As the new school year is just around the corner, high school and college students are collecting their school supplies and considering the list of classes and activities they need to graduate and prepare for their future. For many, completing school community service hours is a major part of that to-do list.
Meet Valeria Miranda, IFCS Participant-Turned-Volunteer
For Valeria, an entering senior at St. Mary’s Academy, volunteering is more than just something to check off her list of graduation requirements; it’s her way to get more involved in her community.
Many Denver-area high schools and university courses require their students to give back to their community through volunteering. This allows students to deepen their understanding of the need their community faces, and the services available for them. For Valeria, her school requires students to volunteer for 100 hours across four years.
Over the course of her time at St. Mary’s Academy, Valeria has helped other organizations as a teacher’s aid, and helped with donations at other nonprofits. Valeria says her work at IFCS has made a difference in her life because of her direct interactions with the community.
“[My work at IFCS] makes such a difference in how I approach my service work because I’m more eager to do it,” Valeria said. “I enjoy my time during breaks [from school] with you all. It doesn’t feel like a chore. I enjoy what I do.”
Valeria has lived in the IFCS neighborhood her whole life, and fondly remembers receiving Ready, Set, School! backpack and school supply support for three years through elementary school. Now as a high schooler volunteering at IFCS, Valeria says she feels closer to the community she lives in. Oftentimes, she will recognize IFCS patrons from walking around the neighborhood or from her job.
“You never know what people’s lives look like outside of appearances,” Valeria said. “It puts things into perspective; people are more than you see.”
Recently, Valeria played an instrumental role in helping a lost IFCS visitor be reunited with her family. While waiting for local authorities to arrive with the family, Valeria sat with the woman and helped her stay calm, speaking to her in Spanish.
“I was just thinking about if my own grandma was in that situation and how I’d want someone to be with her,” Valeria said.
IFCS’ Volunteer Core offers first-come, first-served volunteer opportunities in the no-cost food market. On any given day, volunteers work directly with the community, helping families select a monthly allotment of groceries, which often include frozen meat, fresh produce, eggs, and pantry staples.
Many IFCS volunteers help on a weekly basis, but there is always space for those hoping for a monthly, occasional, or even one-time opportunity. The Market is open Monday through Friday, year-round, excluding major holidays. Many times, prospective volunteers can even sign up for a shift the next day. This makes IFCS a great place to collect school volunteer hours between college classes and during school breaks.
As a bilingual Spanish speaker, Valeria feels especially connected to Spanish speakers seeking food assistance. She explained that families often express relief knowing she understands them and vice versa. She also has fun exploring the dialects from the many Latin American countries represented by IFCS food program participants. After volunteer shifts, she enjoys going home to her family, to tell them how other countries have different words than what she’s familiar with as someone with Mexican heritage.
Valeria feels like volunteering at IFCS will positively impact her future. After high school, she plans to pursue a pre-law degree, with the goal of going to law school one day. Because of her volunteer experience, Valeria looks forward to continuing to serve and incorporate herself into the community she joins when she goes off to college.
“[Volunteering] fulfills you in a different way—building up character for the future, and giving new perspectives and traits that will help in the future,” Valeria said.
IFCS has a long-standing relationship with several area schools when it comes to volunteering.
Kent Denver School: Organizes a bi-annual food and toiletry drive, created promotional videos, and painted the murals seen in The Market. In the past, two now-graduated students who spent their summers at IFCS even went on to apply for grants on IFCS’ behalf, resulting in several thousand dollars in additional funding.
Humanex Academy: Provides volunteers in the food market once a month through the school year, assisting with shopping and stocking deliveries.
Colorado Center for the Blind: Assists with stocking food deliveries and creating snack bags for holiday programs.
Arapahoe Community College: Recruits dozens of volunteers each year for Fresh Thanks, IFCS’ annual seasonal distribution event.
University of Denver and Metropolitan State University: Each year several students from these schools come to IFCS to complete service hours.
Encouraging other young people to give back to their community.
Valeria expressed that hearing her friends talk about their volunteer experiences was powerful because interacting with the community had changed their world view. Because of their experiences, Valeria, as well as many of her friends, aim to volunteer more than just what’s required for graduation, and hope to continue after graduating. Valeria believes it is important to share positive volunteer experiences, as friends and family may feel encouraged to give back in the future.
“I genuinely do it because I enjoy [volunteering],” Valeria said. “I wish I had more time to volunteer.”
If wishing to join the IFCS Volunteer Core team, please fill out an interest form. The volunteer coordinator will answer any questions you may have and send you a sign up link. We look forward to meeting you!
