Jade’s Be of Service Reflection:

The Manna Soup Kitchen originated because a local woman died of starvation in a barn, and
when she was found, she had written, “Nobody Cares.” On the barn wall. It then took place in various
churches for about ten years, until the organization was able to build a home on the hill that is now a
garden and a safe place for so many in our community. The Manna Soup Kitchen not only helps homeless
people get on their feet with licenses and job opportunities, cooking classes, and a place to shower, they
also help low income families feed their children. The City of Durango rents the land for the kitchen for a
dollar a year, and that is incredible because this non-profit has been beneficial to the community as a
whole. One thing that really surprised me when I learned about the kitchen in the tour is that the
majority of people who volunteer are older, and that is because they grew up in a time where there was
more time for volunteering because now everyone has to work many more hours.

When I arrived at Manna, my heart was beating out of my chest. For some reason I felt so
uncomfortable in my new white sweater and Doc Martens. I had been so anxious about college
applications and scholarships and gap year programs that I had become so involved with myself that I
didn’t even consider my own privilege in the fact that I had to do these things. I forgot for a moment,
walking into the large eating hall that I was terrified of the future. I saw for a moment, that I was in a
much better place than I thought. There were men and women, children, and grandparents sitting at
these communal tables, nourishing their bodies and it felt so wholesome and the community resonated.

The actual task we completed was simple enough, we organised a giant pantry and a fridge in
the cooking class room. There was about ten bags of flour and chinese matcha, various assemblages of a
kitchen. I saw fingerprints on the counters as I cleaned up, and I imagined people who were never taught
how to saute, being nourished by knowledge. The soup kitchen worked through every obstacle to help
people be able to rise in society no matter their starting point. It really inspired me to want to be
something humanitarian. I have always thought that the most profound thing that was ever said was “Be
the change you wish to see in the world.” But
for the first time in a long time, I felt like I was
living that mantra. I feel like there are a few
defining moments in every week or so that you
will never forget, and this was one of them. The
love that I felt in that building, with women
painting a hallway with no need for payment or
recognition, the men building dog houses for
the winter, and the kids playing on the donated
playset, it washed over me. I think that in a
utopian society, community service would not
be a punishment, but an expectation.