A day of service in the South Bronx

I was recently in the South Bronx for a buildOn service rally. More than 150 students fanned out across the community to lift up those most in need. Some of the service included food & clothing distribution, hosting a craft fair for low-income children, cleaning up an abandon lot and painting murals. One group of buildOn students prepared and served meals in the basement of a local church. Over one hundred people joined us not only for a hot meal and bag full of groceries, but to feel the compassion of our students and a sense that they too belong to the community. Each person that we served is HIV positive or has AIDS.

The South Bronx is the poorest congressional district in the United States. The people we served are not only battling HIV and AIDS, they are battling poverty. Our students let each of them know that they are not alone and that we care. They lifted up the people through their smiles, their kind words and their actions. The buildOn students are a powerful example to the entire community and to all of us.

This video features interviews I conducted with students on that day.