SamanthaHapp

EXPL390:SocialJusticeInternship
FinalWrittenReflection
April22,2016
At an Intern meet and greet a few weeks ago, both interns newly arriving and those
finishing up their years/semesters talked and reflected with Monsignor about their experiences
and hopes for the internship. When asked about my experience, I described it as a happy
accident an unexpected and radically different (but good!) reality than what I had envisioned
when applying for the SJI program. Despite bumps in the road, changing leadership and budget
cuts, the Volunteer Relations Department of Catholic Charities has given me insight and
experience in the world of not-so-neatly tied together non-profits.
This was all true and in a way, a perfect summary of my internship. It was flawed and
frustrating, but it was important. It taught me how much I value efficiency, communication and
organization. It taught me the power of the collective and the selflessness of individuals who
work grueling hours interrupted by microwave meals and cramped backs from broken office
chairs. Its not glamorous work, and oftentimes, specifically in my department, its forgotten
work we arent the case workers, social workers, program coordinators or site managers. We sit
in scrunched cubicles and drink expired coffee and listen to the soundtrack of the glug of the
water cooler. We yield phone calls from volunteers who were disappointed in the breakfast
selection at our Volunteer Thank You brunch, and politely cringe through conversations with
donors who dont approve of our support of the refugee community.
I came across this brilliant piece of poetry on one of my favorite blogs (showed to me by
my cubicle buddy, Claire), Nonprofits with Balls. The short piece is called Volun-tears and I
think it sums up the experience incredibly accurately.

Volun-tears
2pm, the lowest point of the day,
At which to read our latest volunteer survey.
I was not told we would be standing
During our service project;
I wore my new Louboutins and there
Was
No
Comfortable place to sit.
I should have
Been warned
About the standing
We were provided with coffee
and hot chocolate
and cookies,
But not with bottled water.
I got hot and there
Was
No
Bottled water.
I was told
That this was a family
Friendly event.
I brought my two year old
Daughter and there
Was
No
Work for her to do.
Very disappointed.
Oh, my beloved volunteers,
How you have betrayed me!
Though I sent you email
After email
Explaining the nature of our project;
Advising comfortable clothes
And sensible shoes.
Spent precious hours
Begging and borrowing;
Trading my principles for potables,
My charms for chocolate biscuits.
And the water fountain
Was right around
The damn corner.
Your toddling daughter is,
Im sure,
Adorable and
Truly passionate
About service work.
But the email stated
So very clearly
That this event was for adults,
Teens,
And children over the age of 10. There
Was
No
Work for her to do??
I wonder just
How handy
Your toddler is
Around the house.
Family
Friendly, my
Foot.

I should have painted

That wall myself.
But then what
Self-satisfied reply
Could you all give to
Friends and co-workers
When they asked how
You spent your Saturday?
You brood of vipers!
But for heavens sake
Dont leave me.
For we need your
Year-end donation and your
Facebook Likes and that
Time you brought your
Three best friends to our
Silent Auction.
In lieu of bottled water,
Please accept
My volun-tears.

While I could probably weep in complete understanding of these words, instead we

laugh. This has been the Catholic Charities Volunteer Relations experience in nutshell. But
despite the frustrations, the agony of another email asking what the previous email had answered
and the meetings that seemed to drag on for hours and accomplish nothing, what a perfectly
flawed experience it has been. I learned to plan events, to conduct research and communicate
with case workers, to entirely recreate a program that serves thousands of individuals, to serve
individuals experiencing extreme poverty and homelessness, to lead discussions with business
professionals, to advocate for the underserved in a business setting, to draft and develop
curriculum, to rebrand a website Ive been given the opportunity to immerse myself in this
internship experience, and that is what truly has been so fantastic. Understanding that I was not
initially meant to be working in Volunteer Relations, my supervisors (yes, all 5 of them
throughout the past 8 months) have allowed and encouraged me to branch out from the typical
role. I was able to try my hand at event planning with Latino Affairs; to sit in and brainstorm
with Board Relations; to learn about new programs and community development initiatives, such
as Catholic Charities partnership with Peace Corner; to begin writing a curriculum for the One

Summer Plus program, which seeks to provide job training and employment skills to young men;
create a marketing plan and layout for the Marys Closet event, Encore!; and learn the insides of
a website. This freedom to explore various areas within the Volunteer Relations department and
other areas of the organization has allowed me to better understand the breadth and scope of
Catholic Charities and how it enacts its mission in various meanings. Moreso than a knowledge
of the organization, I also learned how social services agenies work the good, the bad and the
ugly. Different than my experience at international organizations (UNICEF, Amnesty) and wider
and broader than local nonprofits (LIFT, ONE Northside), Catholic Charities does so much for so
many various populations across the entire Chicagoland region its scope and breadth is
impressive and admirable. The organization focuses on 5 main areas Child Youth and Family
Services, Community Development and Outreach Services, Family and Parish Support Services,
Housing Services and Senior Services but has dozens and dozens of programs and departments
to serve nearly every population in need. Serving out their mission with the tagline from the
cradle to the grave (morbid words from my coworker), Catholic Charities seeks to help
individuals in need at every stage in their lives. I found myself in awe at just how how much
Catholic Charities does for the local community and how vital the work truly is.
I came to better understand the impact that Catholic Charities is making through
conversations and prayers regarding the Illinois State Budget, a crisis for many organizations,
not excluding Catholic Charities, which relies on the state for millions of dollars in program
funding. My internship began at the beginning of the budget impasse and Ive seen,
unfortunately, how detrimental that has been for the organization as the budget is in its 9th month
of stalemate. This frustration has been a theme of the internship good hearted individuals with
the right intentions being made to work with the less than ideal situation, and still execute it with

as much love and zeal as if they had the same amount of resources as before. We all became
acrobats, juggling various new tasks, trying to serve with open hearts and retaining pieces of our
sanity. It was beautiful, it was challenging, it was good.
I had the privilege of working on various different projects during my time with Catholic
Charities, better understanding the organization and its parts. The beginning of the Fall semester
I worked on research, data entry and communication with case workers in different programs to
coordinate logistics for the planning of the Celebration of Giving. Powerful and upsetting, this
research and communication provided me with personal stories and a better understanding of the
struggles and needs of my neighbors here in Chicago. I was able to communicate with refugee
families, single mothers, families experiencing homelessness and men reentering society postincarceration perhaps the most achingly beautiful experience was to be able to hear their stories
and listen with my heart. It took a lot out of me, but reminded me why this work is critically
important, and reinforced the idea that this type of work was meant for me.
Mid-October, I transitioned to event planning with the Latino Affairs department for the
Ayudando Nuestras Familias event at the Perillo Bentley Dealership benefitting Casa Catalina,
a basic human needs center operating in the Emergency Assistance department of Catholic
Charities. The event itself was wildly successful, brining in dozens of thousands of dollars in
support. There was live music, a silent auction, food and drinks, Bentley test drives and a
program run by Monsignor that inspired the support of all in attendance. It was beautifully
executed and a treat to plan, and though it was farther removed from the personal connection that
the organization emphasizes, it taught me so much about donor relations and fundraising, which
are critical to the survival of nonprofits.

Post-fundraiser, my internship became completely devoted and dedicated to the

Celebration of Giving for the rest of the calendar year. This annual fundraiser includes a Toy
Shower and Sponsor a Family, both of which seek outside support and sponsorship to provide
families in need with basic life essentials and children with Christmas gifts. Wild, chaotic and
wonderful, the Celebration of Giving: Unwrap the Spirit was an incredible event to witness.
While I never was able to see inside the various programs and agencies or into the world of
casework, this massive program is a huge part of the Catholic Charities brand it was
incredibly (and daunting) to see all of the work and hands that go in to making this production
such a success. I worked in Merchandise Mart every day post-finals, organizing and wrapping
gifts and getting packages on and off trucks and to the right homes. I was busy, tired and for
some reason, always hungry, but it was the most rewarding experience. It was here that I had the
most facetime with volunteers and the most work to do with the Volunteer Relations department
which is responsible for running the event. My temporary supervisor Michelle Finnegan was
an incredible pleasure to work with. She had the rare and inimitable quality of making you feel
as though you are the most important person in the world when she talks to you, despite being
the busiest person at Catholic Charities during the time. Should I ever be in a leadership position
in the professional world, I hope to only be half as phenomenal as Michelle. Without her, the
event would not have made it, and Im so grateful to have seen it come to fruition under her
leadership.
January and February were slightly unorderly (synonym: see Catholic Charities), but a
chance to dip my toes into various aspects April Jones, a former volunteer turned temporary
Director of Volunteer Relations, came in as a business executive trying to turn the department
into a functional one. Her first day, she took a few of us to a Mindfulness & Meditation in the

Work Place workshop. While Im not sure if the department became any more functional during
her 10-week stay with the organization, it became more harmonious. April was sunshine, and she
had a clear passion and directness that made people want to get things done. A member of the
board, April has a very comprehensive understanding of the organization at large and its
trajectory for the future, and was more than willing to help me find more of a purpose at the
agency. She connected me with Gina Cleggs, Assistant VP of Community Development, and
together we began the creation of a curriculum for the One Summer Plus job training workshop.
It was a great experience to learn more about curriculum development and grant writing, a
department that was greatly affected by the budget stalemate.
Also during this time, April connected me with Marys Closet, a program that provides
clients with business attire as they seek employment, to plan their annual fundraiser, Encore. I
worked on room layouts, catering, volunteer coordination and other miscellaneous tasks. Though
grateful for the opportunity, it was difficult. Marys Closet is run by some of the wealthiest
women donors of Catholic Charities, and sometimes the mission of the program was skewed or
lost to serve other agendas. Though difficult, I was taught the value of patience of working with
volunteers of all motivations, and see how challenging it is to work with volunteers that have
deviated from the mission, but how crucial they are to the survival of the organization. (But if
you offered to pay me to do it again, the answer would absolutely be no).
The past few weeks have been spent preparing for Marie the new Director of Volunteer
Relations and prepping the volunteer website, Volunteer Bridge, for relaunch. Overall, the
department has been deemed unreliable over the past decade, so many of the programs and
agencies have resorted to finding and keeping track of their own volunteers, almost completing
eliminating the need for our department. Marie, Dalia and the rest of the team have focused on

re-centering the Volunteer aspect of Catholic Charities to our department and running it with
more efficiency and reliability. Jacob has been worked on the outside appearance and usability of
the website, and Ive been in contact with various programs and agencies to draft volunteer
opportunities to not only educate the volunteers on the issues that the clientele we serve are
facing, but to give them motivation to commit to the opportunity wholeheartedly by incentivizing
them with the description of the impact their making. By changing the description from,
Volunteers needed for after school tutoring! to Did you know that students who are at risk of
dropping out can be identified as early as elementary school? Poor attendance, disruptive
behavior and course failure in math and English are leading factors, and a child who exhibits
even one of these indicators as early as sixth grade has a 75 percent chance of dropping out. This
is why tutoring is so important - is couples academic assistance with positive mentorship, which
combats the causes that drive kids to drop out. This opportunity calls for tutors to work one-oneone with students who are in the 3rd or 5th grades, assisting students in their studies and leading
extra-curricular activities. This opportunity is great for small groups of recurring volunteers from
high schools and universities, it engages the volunteers more with the activity and the
population being served. A big goal of mine was to reconnect the volunteers with the clientele
and the injustices they face, and simply making the descriptions more involved have allowed for
that. The past few weeks have included rewriting about 150 descriptions, but its a project Ive
had fun with and feel as though it will better connect the volunteers with the community theyre
serving.
By far the best experience Ive had the opportunity to engage with has been the Tuesday
Night Suppers. This program, a simple 2 hour meal service for those in need, has been my way
of directly working with the clientele of Catholic Charities. My most favorite thing in the world

is to share a meal with someone this program not only allowed me to break bread, but also to
serve and to listen and to be present with individuals that are bound by the seams with light and
energy and wisdom. I left every Tuesday with rejuvenation and a connection with new friends.
Though I wish this internship gave me more opportunities to work directly with clientele,
Tuesday Night Suppers gave me the fill that I so desperately was looking for.
Perhaps my favorite part of Tuesday Night Suppers is the After Supper Visions program,
which provided clientele with a disposable camera and asked them to photograph the world
through their eyes. Theres something so awe-inducing about seeing a story or a life or every just
a fleeting moment through the perspective of another individual. For those who are not given
time or space or opportunity to share their stories, wounds and triumphs, this program
encourages it. The program turns the photos into canvases and sells them, the proceeds going to
the photographer. Its a brilliant way to connect donors to clientele while also providing clientele
with an income. I would pay everything to hear their stories, and this small but growing program
allows for that. It is empowerment at its finest, and its a program that I love very deeply.
My experiences at Catholic Charities have been a combination of almost every human
emotion I couldve imagined; and while it was nothing that Id imagined for the SJI program or
placement, it was most definitely a happy accident. It is not the future career path for me, but it
was of infinite value. I am grateful beyond words for the love of the Catholic Charities Volunteer
Relations Department, even if its shown in strange ways (my favorite being constant goodbye
parties on Fridays, which meant love in the form of Portillos chocolate cake the best kind of
love their is).
Im also infinitely grateful to have been in the SJI class to offset and contribute to my
experiences at the internship site. The SJI program is one of my most favorite parts of my Loyola

experience: it has given me 8 good, unique and brilliant friends; forced me to support what I
believe in and open my mind to new views and perspectives; to think critically about everything;
to evaluate my experiences through a lens of justice; and above all, to reflect, reflect and reflect
some more.
I very much valued and appreciated all of the assignments required for this course, and
specifically, how open the class was. I appreciated the off-topic conversations, those that brought
to light the different perspectives and opinions of my 8 (now 7) classmates. I enjoyed
interviewing Gina Cleggs for the leadership profile, and appreciated the reflection aspects of
most assignments. I enjoyed sharing with my classmates a Social Justice issue that Im
passionate about, and for discussing song lyrics and articles about gender equality and racial
justice. It was open but challenging, and I appreciated it very much.
My most favorite assignment/lesson in the class was the creation of the Asset Based
Community Development maps. I wasnt familiar with the concept of ABCD before learning
about it in class, but it has revolutionized the way I think about development, a social issue Id
like to pursue for my Masters. I enjoyed focusing on the assets a community already has, and the
concept of transformation from the inside. It is the epitome of justice to me, and I very much
enjoyed learning about it.
Above all, however, I valued the individuals that composed the SJI program more than
any other aspect of the experience. From the late night conversations at the retreat to the debates
while sharing Felices pizza to the endless support given to me in tough moments and through
my post-grad discernment process, my classmates have challenged me, supported me and forced
me open my mind. Above all course concepts, readings and discussions, it was this community
that was my most favorite part of the SJI program, and I wouldnt trade that for the world.

DEVELOPMENT
-

Address professional, personal, civic or intellectual development

The SJI program has without a doubt contributed to my development professionally,

personally, civically and intellectually, but without a doubt, the most important area of growth for
me has been my personal development. The internship challenged me in ways Im still
understanding. I contemplated dropping the program after learning that LIFT was closing to shift
its focus. LIFT was an organization that I loved very dearly, and it was hard for me to see myself
in a new role with the changing goals of the organization. While happy to have been replaced
with Catholic Charities, the first few weeks were difficult. With the transition of my boss to
another job and the discomfort being in a role that I had no passion for, I was fully intent on
withdrawing from the program fortunately the retreat changed this for me. I realized that I had
no intent for my senior year to be easy; much like the rest of my life, I want to do everything,
seize every opportunity and challenge myself to grow and do and become. I realized that
withdrawing from the program would do the opposite, and instead I gave it my best effort. Id be
lying if I said I was always glad that I stayed with it; however, as a whole, I cant imagine now
not having done it. It was a fantastic way to end a beautiful four years at this university. The
program challenged me, frustrated me and pushed me in ways that I didnt want to be pushed,
but it made me see things from a different perspective. I stayed at an internship I didnt want to
be at and found joy in it. I learned that, while I value efficiency and organization and
communication, the world can move without it, and that often times, this is the reality Ill be
dealing with. It made me value people over relationships, and also challenged me to be present
and to serve the larger mission. We worked with budget cutbacks, small staffs and high turnover,

but at the end of the day we made sure that the work was done. It was a wild, stressful and
wonderful ride, and I wouldnt have changed a thing.

______________________________________________________________________________

Thank you, Andrew, for giving this program to us and for challenging us to grow into
better individuals for ourselves, each other and the community. Youve truly served as a mentor
to me (whether or not you want to be) in so many ways and Im grateful for all that youve
taught me and challenged me to do and become. All the best to you.