Jail Reflection

After visiting the jail I was able to see a different side of my community. I learned that there are many inmates that get out of jail and have nowhere to go so when looking at serving the common good I have the opportunity to volunteer at homeless shelters. I also was able to observe how programs for the system helped people and one man in particular turned his life around and became an influential himself for those in the system. One person may not be able to fix a major problem in the world, but by doing little things in the community and helping just one person can lead to a chain reaction of positive impacts on society.
After my visit to the jail and listening to people speak about situations they themselves have experience in jail, I
wonder if the problems that need to be fixed throughout the system will ever improve. We keep locking people up but in the long run is it going to make a difference for the greater good?
I have developed a new way at looking at those who have been to jail or are in jail.
There are obviously those who make small mistakes and pay a bigger price and then those who continuously make bad choices. However, they are the only ones that can change their ways in the end. If more people would utilize programs in and outside the system then maybe there would be a lower recidivism rate. This has also made me truly think about volunteering in my community and trying to give back to those who may not be in a very good place at the time. When learning about the issues of social justice during my visit it makes me feel helpless in a way because if people working in the system cannot even develop solutions, how am I, an average person, supposed to make a difference. On the other hand, now that I know about these issues I can inform others on the topic as well so maybe one day in the future enough people can get together to come up with a
solution.
Overall, I have learned that it is important to know about groups of people in your society that may not be seen every day. Displaying the smallest act of kindness can lead to a chain reaction of positive progression in serving the common good. I am not saying that people have to risk their lives for a stranger; however helping a stranger in the smallest way can make a difference in the biggest way. I have learned that serving the common good is not always easy and there is a point where people need to take responsibility for their own actions but there is nothing wrong with getting help along the way.
When looking at hunger there is a world-wide problem, but more specifically there is a large hunger problem in La Crosse, WI.
On Wednesday October 26 I went to the Salvation Army Food Pantry & Kitchen on 223 8th Street North. I arrived at about 4:30pm for the free dinner being served. Here is was able to see what it is like to have to go to an organization at a specific time in order to receive free food because I could not afford my own. I did not really talk to anyone here; however, I was able to gather some observations of the different types of people who came to this dinner. Majority being served food, at least when I was there, were Caucasian with one or two African Americans. I did not expect this but there were also families that came to eat at the food pantry. I am not sure exactly how well-off everyone was considering the fact that the pantry is open to the public. However, most of the people there looked as if they were homeless or were not as financially stable. There were lockers which people used to put their blankets and belongings in while they ate their dinner, as well as t-shits at the front of the line that were up for grabs for
anyone. When I got there I went into the back of the building which has a kitchen for food connected to a small gymnasium that was turned into an eating area. Here I waited in line for a while and observed what was going on. As I approached the front of the line I was given a tray and served meat, mashed potatoes, veggies, and a brownie dessert. After, I went and picked a table to sit at and ate my food. Overall the food was very good for being a free meal.