TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) — Indiana State University held their MLK Day of Service, which helps provide clothing and a warm meal to those who need it most.
Volunteer students split into two groups, with one group helping stock the clothing closet at Shine Foster Family Resources. The other group had the opportunity to serve a meal at the Saint Benedict Catholic Church Soup Kitchen. Despite not having school, volunteer Chris Wiatrak says he was up bright and early.
“I mean it’s a day off, but it’s really just a day off from school,” Wiatrak said. “I like to help give back to my community, and now my community is here in Terre Haute, so I like to help people that aren’t as fortunate as I have been.”
Soup kitchen manager Ciara Krumreich says the students got the full experience of working a day, and they made good use of the extra hands.
“Today they are going to be serving on our line,” Krumreich said. “They’re going to be making trays for our patrons, they will be interacting with our patrons, they’ll be one-on-one with every single one.”
Wiatrak says that serving patrons at the soup kitchen provides instant gratification and joy.
“Sometimes they haven’t eaten in an extended period of time, and I hate to see that,” Wiatrak said. “It genuinely makes me feel better see their faces actually light up when they see that this food is in front of them, and just being a part of helping to prepare that, it just makes me feel a lot better and I know that they feel better too, because they are getting food.”
In addition to the efforts on MLK Day, Indiana State University will also have multiple service groups volunteering on January 23.
