Before I got my job at Chipotle, I was feeling discouraged and stressed. I worried about whether I would ever be able to find employment. I applied to countless places, going in and introducing myself, but opportunities seemed out of reach. Amid my frustration, my dad suggested I try volunteering. He explained that serving and working—even without pay—could potentially lead to a paid opportunity.
Following his advice, I started volunteering every Monday and Wednesday morning at The New Macedonia Baptist Church’s Food Pantry. My responsibilities included packaging and distributing food, as well as transferring boxes. Through this experience, I met several influential people from all walks of life. One of them was Reverend Broadway. Under his leadership, I felt welcomed and embraced by the community.
When he asked why I was volunteering, I shared that I was job searching and that my dad had encouraged me to volunteer as a way to potentially cultivate an opportunity. Reverend Broadway assured me that he believed God would open a door for me. Sure enough, after several weeks of volunteering, I was finally invited to interview at Chipotle—and I got the job.
Since then, my busy schedule with work and school has made it harder to volunteer regularly, but I still make an effort to help whenever I can. Volunteering has given me a newfound appreciation for service, even when it’s unpaid. I want to thank Reverend Broadway and The New Macedonia Baptist Church for setting a powerful example of what it means to serve your community. I am volunteering this Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday since I am on break from school and will continue to add pictures to this post each day.
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