Sowing Seeds of Service
“I now realize how easy it is for one to end up in poverty. It doesn’t take much. Being evicted, an increase in rent, or losing a job can all turn someone’s life upside down. A lot of times it is factors outside of people’s control that land them in poverty. We have to have empathy for those in poverty and do what we can to help them. Afterall, unexpected events in our own lives could land us in poverty as well.”
As the Our F.A.M.I.L.Y. Program Development VISTA member at Oberlin Legion Field Community Garden, Ethan Hill builds the capacity of his site, increasing the garden’s visibility and expanding the garden itself. Designing flyers and conducting presentations, he spreads awareness of the garden and rallies volunteers to participate in its cause. He has also written grants, securing funding for the garden’s growth.
Ethan is particularly proud of his work on the Green Edge Fund grant application, which was ultimately awarded. As a result of this grant, Legion Field Community Garden will have at least one paid intern and will now be able to construct an outdoor classroom.
“This may act as a spring-board to attract further community engagement, as well as make our garden a more versatile space,” says Ethan. “The outdoor classroom will allow us to potentially host summer programs and hands-on courses for local elementary and middle school students. An intern will contribute to our garden’s efficiency, and ability to provide fresh food to our local food bank.”
Another highlight of Ethan’s service has been organizing and managing various volunteer groups in the garden, including the Oberlin College Men’s and Women’s tennis teams.
“Having these teams volunteer with us made a huge difference,” he says. “They contributed significantly to the construction of our rain garden.”
Although recruiting and mobilizing volunteers has sometimes been a challenge, Ethan has learned helpful techniques for maximizing the volunteer support the garden receives. He also believes the contacts he has made in the community will be useful for his site in the future. Through service, he has worked hard to improve data collection and organization at the garden, and he believes his efforts will make a lasting impact.
Reflecting on his experience as a VISTA member, Ethan sees national service as a rewarding experience and would recommend it to others. He feels that serving those experiencing poverty has offered him new perspectives.
“I now realize how easy it is for one to end up in poverty,” he says. “It doesn’t take much. Being evicted, an increase in rent, or losing a job can all turn someone’s life upside down. A lot of times it is factors outside of people’s control that land them in poverty. We have to have empathy for those in poverty and do what we can to help them. Afterall, unexpected events in our own lives could land us in poverty as well.”
Although Ethan is not entirely sure what his next steps will be after VISTA, he is interested in both Mandarin Chinese and mathematics and may pursue high school teaching jobs or research analyst roles.
Thanks for your service, Ethan!
