Dinner for Everybody

I was raised in the Disciples of Christ and United Church of Christ. From birth I was taught that I should live my life following Jesus' example and serving those around me. I also had models all around me of people who live their lives simply and serving the community around them. My life is not only for me, but is part of a larger global community that I am called to serve. I have dedicated my life to the struggle for peace and justice and whatever it is I do in my life, I will continue to be a part of this struggle.

When I got to Grinnell two and a half years ago, it was very important to me to get involved in the community right away. I talked with my mentor and she suggested that I get involved with a group called the Social Justice Action Group (SJAG). The central project of the group was a free meal to address issues of hunger in Grinnell as well as work to break down stereotypes between different groups in the community. Well, not only did the name of the group grab my attention, but the idea of doing something that connected me to people outside the college sounded amazing.

The Grinnell Community Meal is served at a local elementary school every Tuesday and is sponsored by a different group every week. I began by volunteering each week. By my second semester at Grinnell, the organizers of the Meal were going to study abroad and someone needed to take over organizing the meal. I felt that I had learned the routine and was able to take over the leadership of the project. When I started volunteering at the meal between 75-100 people attended the meal each week, now we consistently have about 130-150 people attend.

It's been an amazing experience of building relationships with townspeople and with other college students and faculty. Now I am the junior who is leaving to study abroad and I will hand off the leadership to another student. The meal has grown and developed so much since I got involved, but so have I. I have strengthened my ability to relate to a diverse group of people, my ability to learn from my mistakes, my ability to build coalitions and networks with different organizations, and so much more about who I am and the person I would like to become.

Building a strong community is very important to me, and I am proud to say that I have played a role in building the Grinnell community and I can be confident that the Community Meal will continue to do so after I graduate from Grinnell College. I can apply everything that I have learned from the Community Meal to whatever community that is struggling for social justice that I am apart of after my time at Grinnell.

Jenny Dale is in her third year as a HELM Leadership Fellow and is a member of University Church, an ecumenical Disciples congregation, in Chicago.