ART 448: Photo Essay - In the Madison community

I enjoy exploring my surroundings while learning more about my community and meeting new people along the way. One thing I've done is volunteer. Last year, I joined Badger Volunteers and chose to work at Porchlight, a place that offers permanent housing and employment opportunities to homeless people in the Dane County area in order to help them towards independence. My volunteer work consisted of helping in the kitchen to prepare food for their Porchlight Products program. Before I volunteered there, I honestly had no idea that this place existed but I'm glad I found it. Through this experience, I realized that there is more beyond my own peers on this campus. Not only was I able to serve others through my own love for food and cooking but it was also rewarding to know that I am making a difference in my community.

On the first day of volunteering, we received more information on Porchlight and learned more about its mission.

In the kitchen, we prepared and packaged pancake and scone mixes, which are sold online and at various retail outlets.

We also helped make an orzo salad for Daisy Cafe.

Another Badger volunteer cuts cheese into cubes for the orzo salad.

I washed apples that were later made into applesauce.

This is Carlos, an employee who has endured a lot before coming to Madison. Yet, he has a positive attitude and it is obvious that he is determined and hardworking.

This is Rob, another employee and one of the leaders in the kitchen. He would greet us each week and always had something for us to do. He has been working at Porchlight for almost 2 years and adds energy to the kitchen.

The applesauce is canned, labeled and finally ready to be sold.