The Bowery Mission

Amanda and I were able to visit and volunteer at the Bowery Mission in New York City. It was very interesting and eye opening to get a look of what all happens behind the scenes. Here is an inside look into the Bowery Mission.

The Bowery Mission is one of the oldest in NYC. Located on the Lower East Side the mission is a vital part of the South Bronx and Harlem neighborhoods. They are a multi service shelter providing shelter, 3 meals a day, and medical care. The mission also has a variety of life changing programs designed to get people off of the streets and into apartments with steady jobs. Ultimately the mission believes that a meal and a smile can change a life.

The day we planned to visit happened to be the day there was practically a blizzard in New York. Over 5,000 flights were canceled! Imagine being without a warm house or shoes during a snowstorm. I couldn’t begin to imagine how that would be so, I was determined to help. Since we showed up early in the morning it was our job to help the other volunteers serve breakfast and prep for the lunch and dinner meals! For Breakfast they had the option of banana or brown sugar oatmeal with fruit, coffee, bagels, and a pastry. I am impressed by the amount of food they have and about the amount of people they are able to serve on a daily basis!

After serving breakfast and cleaning up they gave the other volunteers and I a tour of the rest of the mission. There is a large chapel where local preachers and other volunteers teach the word before a meal is served. On snowy days like the day we volunteered they had a movie day. the chapel pews were filled with people watching movies for the day. At night if the weather continues, they bring out mattresses into the cafeteria to accommodate even more people. I am glad I had the opportunity to help this mission in any way!

For more information on the Bowery Mission please visit:

https://www.bowery.org

"Success is not measured by what you accomplish but by the opposition you have encountered and the courage with which you have maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds." -Orison Swett Marden

Garin Harris
Miss Teen International 2016