Cassidy Troy

Professor McGovern

Honors Service Learning

26 September 2014

Day of Service

   On Stockton’s Day of Service, on September 6 2014, I had the privilege of working closely with The Eastern Service Workers Association (ESWA). This organization is not government owned, and not considered a charity. The members of the group are unemployed or underemployed people trying to survive. Through this association, when one member is helped, it is asked of that person to help the next member if he can. These members almost form a community to combat poverty. Members who need the necessities that many have taken for granted, such as food, water, clothing, furniture, are offered if the members need them. Also, things such as medical and dental care are provided through doctors that volunteer their time to help the people who cannot afford this care.

The team that I was a part of went into the impoverished section of Atlantic City, a major city that has been affected by the increase in job loss because many of the casinos have been going out of business. We went door-to-door asking people to join and become members of the association. We had to state that there is a small monthly fee of $0.67, completely voluntary and asked of its members, but we also noted that members pay if they can and when they can.

This was an eye-opening experience for me. I realized that obviously there are people struggling, but I was even more surprised at the fact that the people who answered the doors were not skeptical or rude, but rather positive and optimistic for the future that ESWA could help them work towards. We added around fifteen new members to the association, many with families, all willing to work to create a brighter future, an important lesson that everyone should learn. I truly enjoyed this experience because it was an active experience. I actually got to hear people’s stories and what they have been through, and what they want to do for the future, and how they want to get there.