Building Bonds

I really enjoy completing my service through Literacy*AmeriCorps because of the opportunities I have to give back to the community. In my work through Interfaith Action of Central Texas (iACT), I am building bonds with my students and their families as I teach them English and show them around Austin to teach them about American culture. I am also building bonds with my fellow teachers as we work, laugh, and motor through the difficult teaching situations together.

I love our monthly volunteer service activities because it’s our way of building bonds with the community. I think that the work that we do behind doors sometimes goes unseen, but our service activities allow us to connect with multiple parts of the community in different ways: Thanksgiving service, Extreme Home Makeover, Coats for Kids, Inside Books Project, and Casa Marianella. We are constantly giving back and building bonds through our service, love, and care for those around us. I think that our service helps to show how much people can care for one another, how many opportunities there are to give, and – most importantly – that there are many people in need.

Most of all, I love my time in Literacy*AmeriCorps because I am building bonds – friendships – with other LACers. One of the hardest things about being in a group of 18 people completing their service at different sites is finding the opportunity to spend time with one another. Because of this, I really value our unity events. The unity events are the times when we can build bonds with one another, care for one another, and have fun with one another. When talking with an ACE AmeriCorps alumna, she told me that some of her best friends are other ACE members. Seeing the light in her eyes, I could tell that these friendships mean something to her. I can only hope that all of the LACers see this as a chance to find their new best friends, friends who they continue to build bonds with even after our service year is over.