We barely had time to park our cars at the BOSS site in Berkeley before swarms of residents came out to help unload the donations. One tall guy immediately noticed a large pair of shoes I had donated and we compared shoe sizes. He was amazed to see a pair large enough for him, but shocked when he found they were from a girl! We bonded over our gigantic feet and scoured the piles for another pair. Everyone was so helpful and so happy to see us. The residents took control and moved and sorted donations to be distributed later. The residents actually do a lot of the work around the site, including sharing their skills in the kitchen and in classes for their peers. In fact, Janny herself was a resident 15 years ago, and several employees share that history.We had the opportunity to tour the facility and learn a little more about the organization. BOSS hosts several community sites including emergency and transitional housing for homeless and disabled individuals and families. The site in
Berkeley is a comprehensive home that offers loads of classes, a computer center, a library, a children's learning center, and a garden. As we walked through the site, we met residents and employees, and it wasn't always clear which was which. The entire time a man in a white t-shirt and a long gray ponytail was carting around supplies. Everytime we crossed paths he made sure to tell us about another opportunity for volunteering. He wasn't the only one! I don't think we passed a single person that didn't stop and thank us. I was actually kind of sad to leave, but drove off with a smile after I noticed that the guy from the beginning was already wearing his new shoes (that, and I was happy to be able to see out my rear window again!)One of the things that surprised me was the sheer number
of ways BOSS helps. They offer intake counseling for people looking for shelter, emergency housing to people to start in before moving through the program, transitional housing for people getting back on their feet, case management to help people accomplish their goals, preventative case management to keep low-income and disabled people from losing their homes or jobs, summer camp for the children to teach them sports, arts, music, and get them involved in productive activities, and all kinds of classes ranging from financial management to computer literacy to health and wellness.There are so many opportunities to help! BOSS is always looking for people to mentor individuals and help them learn how to handle life and career skills. They also need people to teach classes, play with the kiddos, and help in all kinds of ways around the sites.
As future business leaders we have the power to give the individuals at BOSS the most valuable gift there is. We can educate them to become self-sufficient. As the saying goes, give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. The number of ways that we can help are countless. Are you a super accountant or a financial whiz? If so, you can teach individuals the basics of budgeting and simple financial planning so they don’t get bogged by credit debt. Are you a history buff? Teach the kiddos all about Lincoln and the civil war. Are you an artist at heart? You can offer piano classes or help with art projects. If you're an athlete, why not teach the kids basketball or soccer?
After visiting the site and meeting some of the residents, we couldn't resist finding a way to get involved. I'll be working with the kids over the summer - teaching basketball and doing art projects. Vikas is thinking about running some yoga classes - we'll definitely post embarrassing pics of him in downward dog!
If you'd like to learn more about ways you can get involved, email community service committee member Vikas Meka (vikas_meka at mba dot berkeley dot edu) about your interest.
