Dance Out Diabetes
Dance Out Diabetes (http://www.danceoutdiabetes.org/) was created by cartoonist Theresa Garnero, R.N., C.D.E. Her organization hosts a monthly dance for those with diabetes, and brings optimistic dialogue to a population used to hearing negative messages about how to manage their chronic illness. Starting September 2012, I volunteered with the organization helping to help recruit participants. At the dances, I offer positive support and logistical assistance to participants, as well as measure anthropometrics. Those attending are encouraged to learn about themselves and control their diabetes, while having a good time. It is my career goal to offer this kind of positive and interactive support to my clients and patients.
Cooking Matters
Cooking Matters/Three Square Meals is an organization that takes the adage "you can teach a man to fish" to a whole new level. Six-week cooking and nutrition courses are provided to low-income families, children and adults. The classes start with a nutrition lesson, which is the portion I taught (2011 & 2012), and finish with a hands-on cooking demo. I taught three courses (two to families, one for adults). The excitement on the faces of the students, as well as hearing them tell me what they were able to do for themselves after having taken the classes was a huge reward.(http://threesquaremeals.org/cookingmatters/).
VA Medical Center
In 2012, I prepared a lesson on how to limit sugar intake, which was to be taught to patients living in the VA Medical Center's Community Living Center (http://www.sanfrancisco.va.gov/services/nutrition.asp). I developed a plan, and on the day of my presentation, the other volunteers asked if they could participate with me. I realized it would be more fun for the patients to have a team of us teaching. So, we created a script about sugar and health, which volleyed questions and answers among the instructors and the audience. Working as a group made the delivery of the information more stimulating and engaging for the patients.
Project Open Hand
Not everyone has access to high-quality food. Project Open Hand (http://www.openhand.org/), a non-profit organization in the Tenderloin District of San Francisco answers this need by serving 2,600 healthy meals every day to those in need. During my work there in 2012, I found it amazing to witness the process that goes into such a massive, and yet still very caring production. Many of the non-specialized tasks were performed by a volunteer team, and it felt great to be a part of that team.
Please note that all items were created by Hanna Rifkin, and if reproduction is desired, please cite the author. Hanna Rifkin 2012-2013