Food Not Bombs is a worldwide organization working to achieve several goals. According to their website, Food Not Bombs “is trying to inspire the public to participate in changing society and focus [their] resources on solving problems like hunger, homelessness and poverty while seeking an end to war and the destruction of the environment. [They] are also showing by example that [people] can work cooperatively without leaders through volunteer effort to provide essential needs like food, housing, education and healthcare.”

At the core of Food Not Bombs’ philosophy is the belief that hunger and poverty are not insurmountable challenges but rather curable issues in the face of abundant supplies and production. Michael, a volunteer, highlighted, “Food Not Bombs wants to show how little effort it would take to feed everyone and how much effort we put into warfare instead.” Kara, another volunteer, emphasized the inclusivity of Food Not Bombs, stating, “There is no line between those who serve and those who eat; there is no barrier to access.”  

In my conversation with volunteer Emi, they spoke about the profound impact of reconnecting with their community through Food Not Bombs: “Capitalism has removed the connection between community and my labor, but this restores that. I can see how my work actively helps people.” Reestablishing community bonds not only addresses immediate hunger but also fosters a sense of purpose and fulfillment among volunteers.

The volunteers discussed how much this work meant to them. Micheal told me “Food not bombs is not exhausting, extra work I have to do on my weekend. It fills my bucket.” Emi summed up the collective sentiment of volunteers, “When I get off work, I am looking forward to [volunteering].” I felt the eagerness and fulfillment that the volunteers described—even after just one visit. Sitting at the [food preparation] table, I engaged in conversations about current events and the philosophy of art while cutting up potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and corn. The atmosphere was remarkably relaxed, and the volunteers welcomed me with open arms.

Once the meal was ready, we all had the chance to taste our creation before serving it up. The ketchup potato and greens, paired with corn, tomatoes and peppers were delicious. It felt great to see and taste what we had made together. When it came time to serve the food, I felt a profound sense of fulfillment. The gratitude expressed by the recipients was palpable; their smiles and words of thanks resonated deeply. I found immense joy in serving, knowing that the collective efforts of myself and the other volunteers were making tangible differences in the lives of others.

Anyone can volunteer and I encourage you to do so. When I asked what makes a good volunteer Emi stressed the importance of cooperation, stating, “Cooperation is the best trait to bring. It’ll go way farther than any other skill.” Food Not Bombs thrives on the collaborative efforts of its volunteers, who come together to prepare and distribute meals, embodying the power of collective action. A fellow Jewell student who regularly volunteers with Food Not Bombs, B.J., says “It’s not often you find a group that balances feeding their community with respect for animals’ rights and efforts to address systemic issues that cause hunger and waste. It makes what I’m doing feel worthwhile every time.” 

By volunteering with Food Not Bombs, I became a part of a movement that believes in the inherent goodness of humanity and the ability to create positive change through collective action. You can do the same. Roll up your sleeves and witness the impact you can make by continuing to spread love, nourishment and hope to communities in need.

March 20 was the official beginning of the spring season, but there is still plenty of time to enjoy spring in Kansas City. Leaving the dreary winter and entering sunny days is the perfect opportunity to get outside and explore. Spring can be a stressful time for college students with final exams looming, so taking time to enjoy yourself can be a great way to de-stress. Here are some ways to enjoy the season:

1. Farmer’s Markets

The farmer’s market in City Market, located in downtown Kansas City, is an excellent way to enjoy the warm weather and support local businesses. There are a variety of vendors that sell fresh and local produce, plants and handcrafted items on Saturday mornings. The atmosphere is fun and lively with great food, making it an enjoyable weekend outing. After walking around the stalls to shop, you can also grab a coffee or lunch at the surrounding restaurants. There are plenty of authentic restaurants and food markets that offer a variety of cultural cuisines. 

1. Plan a picnic

Setting up a picnic outside is a fun way to take in the sunshine and relax. Planning a picnic with your friends is easy and a great photo op too. You can make or buy some food, set up a blanket and chill. There are endless locations for a great picnic including the Nelson-Atkins Museum Sculpture Park, Loose Park and William Jewell College’s campus. You can catch up with friends, read or just take a moment to breathe.

1. Visit a botanical garden

Spending time around nature and beautiful flowers is sure to lift your mood and help you appreciate the earth. Spring is the perfect time to see flowers bloom before it gets hot outside. There are a variety of gardens in the Kansas City area. Some of the most popular are The Ewing and Muriel Kauffman Memorial Garden, Powell Gardens and Overland Park Botanical Gardens. 

1. Cheer on the Kansas City Royals

Springtime means baseball is in season. Cheer on the Kansas City’s Royals at the Kauffman Stadium as they begin their season April 7. Enjoying a baseball game with friends is the perfect way to have fun and enjoy the day. Even if you’re not a big sports fan, baseball games have a great atmosphere and food. 

1. Volunteer in the local community

This spring is the perfect opportunity to get outside and help out the local community through volunteer work. Earth Day is in April and is a reminder to take care of the environment. You can volunteer through KC Parks to assist with litter cleanups, gardening and landscaping and park beautification. It only takes a couple of hours to make a difference in your community. You can see other volunteer opportunities here. 

1. Pickleball

Pickleball is a fun sport for players of all abilities. It’s super easy to pick up and fun to play with 2-4 players. The nice weather is ideal for trying pickleball or perfecting your game. Chicken N Pickle, in North Kansas City, has many outdoor courts available for rental. You can also enjoy food and drink after your game in the lively outdoor spaces. 

“We have a very intentional ethic of service to others that is a part of the ethos of our campus,” said Dr. Jeff Buscher, college chaplain and service coordinator.

Last year alone, Jewell students completed 60,814 hours of service. With over 800 students, that means an average of 75 hours of community service completed per person. While this number is down from the 71,958 hours of service in the 2016-2017 school year, the philanthropic passion at Jewell is staggering.

The majority of these service hours are accrued through the efforts of co-curricular organizations – such as Greek Life and the Nonprofit Leadership Association (NLA) – and the College’s commitment to service learning.

While the college itself cannot officially sponsor any specific charities, many organizations around campus do. Among the most active in philanthropy are members of Greek Life. Each fraternity and sorority plans events throughout the year to raise awareness and monetary support for causes they are passionate about. The causes supported include Harvesters Food Bank, Ronald McDonald House, Bikers Against Child Abuse, and breast cancer research and education.

Around 40 percent of Jewell students are involved in Greek Life, guaranteeing that portion of the student body to be engaged in philanthropy in some way. On any given day, there is likely to be at least one fraternity or sorority raising money in the Yates-Gill College Union or out in the community cleaning up highways.

NLA is also responsible for a large portion of the service hours recorded. The club, aligned with the nonprofit leadership studies major, is involved in numerous service projects across campus and beyond – including the American Red Cross Club and the Skip-a-Meal program where students can opt to donate one meal on their meal plan per week to food pantries across the city.

The club says they are “committed to making a significant difference in the lives of community members.”

Much of the service hours counted can also be attributed to the Pryor Leadership Program. As part of their Pryor Legacy Project, Pryor Fellows complete a project they are passionate about that benefits the community. Past legacy projects include building tiny houses for the homeless and the creation of the Tucker Leadership Lab.

Philanthropy at Jewell also extends past the school year. Every January and May since 2005, undergraduates, as well as staff and alumni, travel to Honduras as parts of the Village Partners Program. They grant micro-loans for members of the local community to invest in the local economy. Groups also raise money to improve water quality and infrastructure, build community gardens and provide access to medical and dental care.

William Jewell College students on a service trip to Honduras in 2017.

The Village Partners program has expanded in recent years. In 2017, two students traveled to Thailand to create on solar energy workshop. Nursing students have also gone to Zambia to provide medical care to underserved communities.

“[Service learning experiences] expand students’ world view and makes them better global citizens,” Buscher said.

A spirit of service is also ingrained in Jewell traditions. Since the 1980s, students have participated in the annual Serve and Celebrate the weekend before homecoming week. This year, 150 undergraduates volunteered for more than a dozen charities across the city.  

The College also hosts the annual Jewell Day of Service in the spring to continue with the spirit of giving into the second semester. The event, which started in 2010, is yet another opportunity to Jewell students to go out in the community and serve others.

At both Serve and Celebrate and Jewell Day of Service, participants often do maintenance work the charities do not have the time to do, such as repainting or cleaning. This allows the charities to focus on keeping up the great work they do.

“It is assumed that being a contributing, thoughtful member of society implies that you will roll up your sleeves and volunteer or contribute in some way to make your community a better place,” says Buscher.

Over the past few years, students have recorded volunteer hours at almost 15 organizations – including Habitat Restore, Hillcrest Hope apartments, Immaculata Manor, Jewish vocational services and Ernest Shepherd Youth Center.

An emphasis of philanthropy is a cornerstone of the Jewell community and is exhibited twice a year at the biannual Service Learning Fair, a campus-wide event at which students from all disciplines may volunteer to serve in the Greater Kansas City area.

Pictures courtesy of Kristen Agar and Jeff Buscher

Nonprofits served included Habitat ReStore, Harvesters, Hillcrest Hope, Inglewood Gardens, Garrison Center and Rebuilding Together KC. Students helped complete a variety of tasks, from planting trees to organizing stock in thrift stores.

After serving, students ate lunch together in the cafeteria – those who didn’t have a meal plan had their meal paid for. The day also included prizes for best photos taken at the projects as an incentive for students to photograph their service.

Jeff Buscher, college chaplain and service coordinator, organizes the annual event. He said he lets organizations know that Jewell students are willing to complete any task.

“When I contact them, I tell them we don’t care what the project is. You’re busy serving the community and you don’t have time to paint that room, clean that closet, clean the yard, whatever it is let us help you do that,” Buscher said.

Buscher adds that a willing and flexible attitude is key for all volunteers.

Abigail Usrey, first-year history major, found that a flexible attitude was necessary when faced with her service opportunity. Usrey volunteered at Habitat ReStore, a donation center and home improvement store that generates revenue for Habitat for Humanity. She and several other students dumped and carried 60 toilets that had been donated by an apartment complex.

Abigail Usrey, Madison Carroll, Maddie McCormick and Savannah Hawley clean toilets at Habitat ReStore.

“My favorite thing about serving was the comradery, because a couple of the people I hadn’t had the chance to hang out with and a couple of them I hadn’t met before, so we really bonded over cleaning toilets,” Usrey said of her experience.

The comradery is a big benefit of Serve and Celebrate. Buscher purposefully creates service groups with people from a variety of different sports teams and organizations to give students a chance to get to know others and build community.

“You know how it is on campus, we all sort of gravitate toward our friends,”said Buscher. “That’s okay and that’s natural but I want us to get to know one another and work alongside people that you don’t always know as well.”

RJ Daniels, first-year Oxbridge: Music major, volunteered at Hillcrest Hope. Hillcrest Hope provides transitional housing for those without homes. They spent the morning cleaning out an apartment for a family to move into.

“It was really fun,” Daniels noted of her experience. “I mean, it was work but we were listening to music and we knew we were doing it for people to get to live there and so that was really fulfilling.”

Daniels also feels that Serve and Celebrate is an excellent way for Jewell to get more involved in Kansas City.

“I think it’s really important as a college community for us to be engaged in the outside community to show that we aren’t just like living in our little bubble on this hilltop,” Daniels said. “We’re citizens that care about the world.”

Buscher agrees that the service day casts a positive light on Jewell.

“It gets Jewell’s name out there as a group of folks that are willing to roll up their sleeves and help these nonprofits that are doing great work across the city,” said Buscher.

Every year organizations are extremely appreciative for the work that Jewell students put in. Buscher always gets multiple emails of thanks from the different nonprofits.

Service has many benefits that are worth far more than the appreciation. Ursey believes people should take every opportunity they have to serve because there isn’t a good reason not to.

“There’s always benefits to giving back,” Ursey noted. “It makes you a better person, which is part of the college experience.”

Photos courtesy of Michaela Esau.