- What did I learn about Minnie’s and the community it serves?
I learned the functions of a food pantry, from what it does to how it’s done to how many volunteers are actually needed. I learned that there are homeless and hungry people everywhere, and my eyes were opened to see that even the people you least expect would be in need may have harder lives than you think.
2. What is unique about Minnie’s Food Pantry?
I think Minnie’s is unique in the fact that it makes everyone it is serving feel very special. The red carpet, the select groceries, and the energetic and friendly volunteers really do make a difference in the way the volunteers and the needy view hunger.
3.What type of awareness would I like to raise in regard to Minnie’s Food Pantry?
Because it is so much work to run a food pantry, I think I would just like to tell people that it really is necessary to volunteer for organizations such as these. Helping others is something we should all engage in, and I’d also like to raise the awareness that, yes, it makes YOU feel good too!
4.What have I learned about poverty and hunger in North Dallas?
It is much more prevalent than I expected and I have learned not to underestimate the power of a terrible economy, even in such wealthy areas as north Dallas.
5. Why was this engagement important?
It brought the dancers awareness and unity and gave us something to think about other than ourselves, which we often get caught up in doing.
6. How can I use what I’ve learned through volunteering at the Food Bank to serve my art?
Every experience you have volunteering and doing things for others’ benefit increases your awareness of society. With more awareness an artist can more accurately convey what they mean in their work and make social statements with a more worldly point of view.
7. What is the message I’d like to send out?
VOLUNTEER! It’s beneficial to everyone involved.
8.How can dance be a vehicle to catalyze social-justice and social change?
Pieces of choreography could be created to convey social issues and possible solutions to the problems. Also, you can reach out to others (children specifically) by giving lessons in dance and educating people in the way that movement brings us together.
