“Service is a sign of our active connection to Life.” – Kabir Helminski

Last Friday Yoga District members were given the opportunity to volunteer with DC Central Kitchen during the evening meal prep shift. Seven yogis participated in total, completing tasks such a sorting vegetables and de-stemming and splitting green beans to get them ready to be cooked. Hear from YD community member Rachel Smigielski about the experience.

While working though our piles of beans, we had the chance to get to know each other as well as some of the regular DCCK volunteers. I especially appreciated getting the chance to talk with Chef Will, one of the head cooks and meal planners, who answered all our questions about the Kitchen and the food we were preparing. DCCK prepares 5,000 meals each days and distributes them to 88 different homeless shelters and nonprofits. Many of the ingredients are donated, and fresh vegetables considered too aesthetically unappealing for the supermarket find their way first to DDCK and then onto bellies in need. Chef Will made it clear that promoting healthy meals is a high priority for the organization- fried food is strictly off the menu.

By the end of the night, we had filled five large tubs to the brim with green beans ready to be cooked. I know my one night at a soup kitchen is not going to change the world- I am as guilty as anyone else of trying to fit volunteering into my life here are there rather than making it a priority- but I can say with confidence that it was a night well spent. It is inspiring to see how others are devoting their lives to serve their community, and I am eager to volunteer with DCCK again.

I would encourage all Yoga District students to keep an eye out for the next volunteer date under the “Workshops and Specials” section of the Yoga District website, or sign up with DCCK directly at http://dccentralkitchen.org/volunteer/.