Before the beginning of the semester, I had put some thought about where to do my service learning community hours. I have previously been a resident of Pueblo Del Mar transitional housing program for families in recovery, and I had the wonderful experience of working in the community garden with Iris and Javier. I was so blessed by their presence and I remember looking forward to the time in the week when it was acceptable to get my hands dirty in the rich earthy soil. I thought it would be rewarding to return to Pueblo Del Mar, and to serve this community of fellow addicts in recovery. After much thought, I felt it would be more beneficial to consider other options and possibly choose a site that would push me beyond my comfort zone. For me college is about learning new things and Pueblo Del Mar is a very familiar and comfortable place for me.
I chose to do my service learning at Peacock Acres this semester. When observing the presentations in class of the many options for service learning, I did not experience a moment where I knew exactly which site I would like to work at. I am a busy single mother, and a full time student with several responsibilities and commitments including recovery meetings, church, and work. With that said, scheduling is of the utmost importance to me and fitting service learning hours into my already busy schedule is a challenge. When Kristen from Peacock Acres explained the logistical information of where and when the opportunities for service learning were available, I found that the hours suited my schedule perfectly. Friday mornings would fit in nicely. The idea of working with foster youth at the Therapeutic Learning Center excites me. This will be a brand new adventure for me, as I have never had the pleasure of working with this special community.
Peacock Acres addresses several community issues related to Foster Youth. The Peacock Acres website (www.peacockacres.org)