by Amelia Wagoner

Created on: March 10, 2007   Last Updated: April 30, 2007

Looking In
When I walked into the Food Connection my senses were overwhelmed. Everything around me was new and different. My attention was pulled into 60 different directions at once. I could smell whatever food that was cooking at the moment; I got a whiff of strong perfume, the kind I imagine old ladies tend to soak in, as well as a kind of dusty odor that comes with the building. There were dozens of conversations going on, several pairs of eyes watching me, and what looked like utter chaos. During those several minutes it took to find someone in charge who could assign me a task, I felt incredibly noticeable and in the way. It seemed everyone around me knew what their mission was, where they were going and whom they needed to find. I was just standing to the side hoping someone would materialize who looked like they could help.

Several minutes later I was heading down a hallway where according to the instructions given to me, I would find a job. As I turned the corner I noticed two things, first I saw a long line of people waiting for their turn to stand at the front counter and then the people behind the counter filling the food crates that were handed out. I was standing there, once again taking in my surroundings, when a man standing in line interrupted my thoughts asking what I was doing. His question was simple enough and asked in a polite manner, yet I could tell that if it looked like I was trying to cut in line I'd soon be in trouble. His question brought me to re-see my surroundings. As I told him who I was looking for I became aware of the fact that I saw a variety of people who appeared to come from many backgrounds both picking up food and handing it out. Even though there were no apparent differences between those who picked up food and those who gave it out I sensed two very defined and separate groups. These two groups are held together by some element which forms them into a more distinct culture of their own. What this holding element is though was something I still needed to find out.
To learn more about where I am spending my Saturday mornings at I talked to the program director, Keith, about the Food Connection. St. Leo's Food Connection is an outreach ministry for St. Leo's parish. It was started 22 years ago and first began as a small organization depending completely on full time volunteers. Now it is the largest food bank in Pierce County, and has both paid workers and volunteers. Last year 122,000 people were served and 1.7 million

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