By Katelyn Earhart
sac-ranger@alamo.edu
The student advocacy center learned a critical lesson from one student who was ready to help.
Last week, the weekly food bank delivery arrived at the student advocacy center to begin the one-hour process it takes to unload.
Paralegal freshman Christina San Miguel and biology freshman Sean Hoffman receive nopalas for The Store Sept. 16, at the east entrance to the student advocacy center. The San Antonio Food Bank makes deliveries Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The center received fresh vegetables, fruit and pastry breads. The center is open from 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m on Friday and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. the first Saturday of each month. The center is currently closed on Wednesdays for deliveries. File
This is a weekly process for the advocacy center so they can provide free food for students at the pantry.
Lisa Black, director of student success, was helping her team unload the truck when the cold food started warming.
Out of desperation, Black asked for help from students passing by.
Black started shouting, “Anyone want to come help us?” and “Your momma would tell you to jump in.”
To her surprise, architecture sophomore Sergio Hernandez not only decided to help unload the truck but helped in recruiting fellow students to do the same.
Nine students helped turn this one-hour strain into a 10-minute assembly line.
The advocacy center staff was ecstatic.
As they retell the story, the staff realized they had witnessed the reality of what they tell students to do every day … ask for help.
As they asked for help, they were greeted with a surprising number of people around them willing to lend a hand.
Center staff was no longer alone but had people support them that they never expected.
For many months the advocacy center has been doing this tasking project by themselves when help has literally been a few feet away the whole time.
The advocacy center desires to be that same set of hands to help relieve the load that is placed on students.
The center helps with everything from mental health, to housing assistance, to support groups and everything in between.
The station in life, everyone needs help at some times.
The student advocacy center is going to continue asking for help from now on with their weekly deliveries.
To participate and help unload the truck, show up at noon on Wednesdays on the east side of the student advocacy center.
For more information, call Black at 210-486-0347 or visit the advocacy center west of Chance Academic Center.
