jewish@edu for college students by college students Rewarding Summer South Oakland Shelter volunteer learns meaning of homelessness through hands-on work. Ilana Woronoff } jewish@edu writer Kenneth Korotkin, Glenn Warsh Jackie Sefferman, IT Reiner, Kyle Fenton Andrea Korotkin Belen, Jeff Belen Bob Campbell, Emily Korotkin Micki Ganesch, Jared Rothberger Marc Ruben, Rick Sherline, Howard Stoller Matt Warsh, Dan Werner FOR ALL YOUR INSURANCE NEEDS Since 1913 248-352-5140 FAX 248-352-0305 EMAIL: INFO@KOROTKIN.COM WEBSITE: WWW.KOROTKIN.COM 26877 NORTHWESTERN HWY #400 SOUTHFIELD, MI 48033-8418 nd—of7711;Ter Super Savings ■ on the Detroit Jewish News Get one year for $69 Get two years for $132 or Get three years for $179. This deal is only for the month of August. In State only. DETROVC NE WS \NISkA Call to subscribe: 248.351.5120 4.4 88 August 29 • 2013 JN At SOS: volunteer coordinator Austin Kralisz, volunteer Ilana Woronoff and Ryan Hertz, SOS executive director. ast spring, I had no idea how to answer the question, "What are you doing this summer?" All of my friends knew what they would be doing; I just hoped I would be doing something I would enjoy. After "Googling" different volunteer opportunities, a program called South Oakland Shelter (SOS) — a weekly rotating homeless shelter where individuals move to congregations throughout Oakland County — caught my eye. My only experience with SOS was when my dad and I would go to our synagogue, Adat Shalom in Farmington Hills, to serve dinner during its host week. Following a phone call to learn more about SOS, I met the volunteer coordinator and secured a place for myself. I was surprised at how much assistance SOS offers its clients: clothing, showers, laundry and a food pantry. As a volunteer, I joined various com- mittees, helped revamp computer classes, created SOS campaign videos, helped with database work, sorted donations and assisted clients. Administrative tasks allowed me to work with staff, while other tasks allowed me to help clients. Being a member of Adat Shalom, I contacted Adat Shalom's Housing the Homeless coordinators Evva Hepner and Debbie Cohen to see how I could help during our host week. I was asked to gather volunteers to help transport mattresses and bedding from the previous host site to Adat Shalom, and to assist in converting the L classrooms into bedrooms. Throughout the week, as volunteers, we registered clients, made breakfasts and dinners, and bagged lunches each night. Previously, I would have helped just one night, but this year I was helping all the time. Shmoozing and playing games with the kids was my favorite part of the week. This SOS experience has changed my per- ception on homelessness. Last April, I thought of the homeless as lazy, poor and uneducated, but now I have learned that many homeless indi- viduals have jobs, graduated from high school — many even from college — and are people just like you or me, but have fallen on hard times. But, unfortunately, even for the indi- viduals lucky enough to benefit from SOS' amenities, it's sometimes not enough. SOS has made me take a step back to reflect on my life. Every night I am fortu- nate to come home to my own bedroom, a closet of clothes and my own bed. A majority of the mattresses I helped transport are in awful condition, most held together by duct tape. If you would like to help SOS meet its goal of raising $12,000 to purchase 45 extra-long twin mattresses and bedding, contact SOS at (248) 809-3773 or visit www. southoaklandshelter.org . @ liana Woronoff of West Bloomfield is a sophomore at Michigan State University in East Lansing.