Sawubona! Igama lami ngingu-Alexis Zafereo, futhi ngiyi-dietetic intern e-University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). Ngokushintshanisa kwami ​​umphakathi, ngibe nenjabulo yokuqeda amahora ami e-Galveston County Food Bank ingqikithi yamasonto angu-5 ngo-Okthoba ka-2023 - Disemba 2023. Kuso sonke isikhathi sami ebhange lokudla, nginikezwe ithuba lokufundisa umphakathi ngamaphrojekthi amaningi, ukudala amapheshana, abathengisi, ukusebenzisana nezinye izinhlangano, nokunye okuningi. Ukuba yingxenye yeqembu lezokudla kube yinto evula amehlo engifundise okuningi nangaphezulu.                                                                            

Isonto lami lokuqala e-GCFB kwakuyisonto lokugcina lika-Okthoba, ngakho-ke ngase ngizothola ubumnandi. Umnyango wezokudla ubulungiselela umcimbi wesitolo sokudla obuhlelelwe impelasonto ezayo ukusiza le nhlangano. Wonke umuntu ebhange lokudla ubambe iqhaza elibalulekile empumelelweni yendawo yokugcina impahla, futhi ithimba lezokudla lalizodayisela abantu abalinganiselwa ku-300 ukudla.

Ngesikhathi esifanayo, ibhange lokudla lalidala ubudlelwano ne-St. Vincents, i-Mom's Farm to Table, kanye ne-Farmacy ukuze isize ukukhuthaza ukusetshenziswa kwenzuzo ye-Snap nokusabalalisa ukuqwashisa ngokungavikeleki kokudla okwenzeka e-Galveston, TX. Ngesikhathi sokuhamba ithimba lizobe lithungatha amathuba okukhangisa ibhange lokudla njengensiza nokusiza ukusabalalisa ulwazi.

Ngesonto lesibili, ngikwazile ukubuka okokuqala omunye wamaphrojekthi wesitolo esekhoneni elinempilo i-GCFB ebisebenza kuwo. Inhloso bekuwukunikeza ukufinyelela emikhiqizweni emisha emiphakathini ehlala ogwadule lokudla. Ithimba laxhumana nomnikazi wesitolo futhi lasiza ekumiseni izindawo lapho umkhiqizo wawungamakethwa futhi udayiswe. Lapho ngiya, ngakwazi ukuhlola nokubheka izindawo engangingazithuthukisa. Kamuva kwaleli sonto sivakashele i-Seeding Texas futhi sisize izisebenzi ekutshaleni kabusha umkhiqizo wazo kanye nokukhipha izitshalo ezazingasekho ngesikhathi sonyaka.

Evikini lesithathu, sinikeze i-handout efundisayo Yesifo Sikashukela ngesikhathi sokusatshalaliswa kwamaselula kwebhange lokudla e-Hitchcock TX. Lesi sihloko besizosiza abantu abanesifo sikashukela ukuthi balawule amazinga abo eglucose. Lokhu kwaba okuhlangenwe nakho okuhle ngoba safinyelela futhi sifundise abantu abaningi kakhulu kunalokho engangikulindele, futhi njengoba babemi ulayini ezimotweni zabo, sakwazi ukubaqaphela isikhathi eside. Abanye baze bacele amakhophi engeziwe esihlobo sasekhaya. Bekuyithuba elihle lokwenzela umphakathi izinto eziningi ngesikhathi esisodwa.

Evikini lami lesine, ithimba lezokudla kanye nami salungiselela uMbukiso Wosuku Lwamazwe Ngamazwe we-Moody Mansion. Sathenga ukudla nezitsha zomcimbi, sapheka ngobuningi, sanyathelisa amakhadi okupheka, futhi saba nezingxenye ezihlukene ezazifundisa izingane indlela yokuhlanza umkhiqizo wazo kuyilapho sinikeza abanakekeli bazo imfundo ethile.

Ekugcineni, phakathi nesonto lami lokugcina ngakwazi ukuya ekilasini e-The Huntington, isikhungo sabadala, lapho umnyango wezokudla uhlinzeka ngemfundo ethi “Yidla Unempilo, Ukhuthale” futhi waba nedemo yokupheka. Phakathi nalokhu kuvakasha, ngakwazi ukwenza idemo yokupheka yekilasi. Leli kwakuyithuba elihle kimi lokufakaza njengoba phakathi nesikhathi sami ngilapha ngakwazi ukunikela okwengeziwe ngemva kwenkundla ngokulungiselela, ukulinganisa, ukunyathelisa amaphakethe, nokwakha ukwaziswa okwakudingeka ekilasini. Manje ngakwazi ukukubona konke kudlula futhi kuhlangane.

Ukusebenza nomphakathi kwangizuzisa kakhulu futhi kwangilethela injabulo enkulu. Kube mnandi ukubona ukuthi kunomthelela omkhulu iqhaza lokudla okunempilo emphakathini kanye nomthelela ongaba khona ngokufundisa umphakathi. Iningi lalabo esibanikezile ulwazi belamukele kakhulu okokusebenza ebesikunikeza, futhi bekumnandi ukubona abantu besazisa isimo sabo sezempilo. Ibhange lokudla linginike indawo yokuthi ngidale ngokudla okunomsoco kanye nesistimu yokwesekwa okuhle kakhulu. Bekuyinto emangalisayo engithemba ukuthi ngizoyijoyina futhi ngolunye usuku.