Taylor Cook

On October 9th I had the pleasure of being a Warehouse Volunteer for the Atlanta Community Food Bank. This was my first time attending this facility's volunteering; I was tasked with distributing the packaged foods to their correct locations for packing. From the time spent there I enjoyed helping other people, and making a difference in someone else's life. Attending a school in a major city like Atlanta really exposed me to the conditions other people experience daily, and I knew I wanted to make a change. The ACFB was a wonderful time, and I even met other Spelmanites there as well!

Throughout the semester being a reading guide was a wonderful experience! It was an eye opener to the youth of Atlanta in close communities to Spelman. Working with my student on a weekly basis allowed me to make a positive impact that influenced better reading skills, academic strategies for success and healthy check ins for their mental health. From week one to the last session their skills improved greatly as well. SpelREADS was amazing!

On the 2022 election day I volunteered as a Poll Observer for the Georgia state elections. This role was established to ensure citizens had a safe and fair time when going to vote. I was able to meet others in the community and really enjoyed this volunteering time!

For my second session of volunteering at the ACFB I hosted members of the Future Business of Leaders and myself through an afternoon warehouse session! As the community service chair of this club, I wanted to give other members the opportunity to give back as well. We were tasked with making nonperishable boxes for the elders in our community and it was extremely fun!