Service Day - Rung for Women
We had the opportunity to volunteer at Rung for Women’s new building on Sidney Street. Rung for Women is an organization whose mission is to empower women to grow and achieve sustained independence through co-located and coordinated educational, professional, and economic resources. Many women at Parkside are already very involved in the organization and had great insight into the benefits of their amazing program. Rung has multiple non-profits that offer services in their building, including Urban Harvest STL whose goal is to provide equitable access to fresh, healthy food for everyone regardless of socioeconomic status, race, or location. On July 8th, all four interns and our mentors spent the afternoon helping further establish their new garden. We helped prepare the land for new plants and then learned how the crops would be utilized to benefit the local community. Rung has a chef on staff who uses the fresh herbs and vegetables from the garden to create healthy meal options for the members of Rung. Any extra food harvested is donated to local organizations.
We were also fortunate enough to receive a tour of their brand new facility which allowed us to gain a better understanding of their programs and the amazing resources they provide. Their campus includes classrooms, a daycare, a gym, a doctor’s office, and so much more that gives the members every resource they may need to strive and grow into successful women with a stable career. Members take part in a member experience where they work with a personal coach to determine their goals and then move on to a career program where they have access to training and credential opportunities for high-demand jobs. They provide a variety of personal development opportunities and assistance in areas such as counseling, nutrition education, fitness, and financial education. Parkside will be offering a financial education workshop to the members in the coming months.
Our day volunteering allowed us to give back to our community in a meaningful way, learn more about an organization making a positive impact in our community, and spend time outside the office with our mentors to learn more about each other.
