While we were being filled with much energy and excitement from the Nickeloden Universe and our shopping for the day, hunger quickly followed. We soon found ourselves settling for Buffalo Wild Wings at the Mall of America to ease our hunger. After a good meal of delicious chicken wings, fried pickles, and a tray of ultimate nachos, we were finally ready to leave the excitement and say good bye to the Mall of America. As we set off back onto the highway in the late night rain, we head home carrying the memories of our time at the Mall of America and we soon found ourselves back at our hotel resting for our next morning adventure.
By the next morning, at 9:25, we have already left the fun behind and we come back to the Sharing and Caring Hands facility for an informational tour. We first arrived at the facilities, where a kind staff worker led us to a room to watch an informational video of the history and vision of Sharing and Caring Hands. We learned that Sharing and Caring Hands started out in a small store in downtown Minneapolis and was founded in 1985 by a woman named Mary Jo Copeland. Mary Jo shares her vision and proclaims how intention is to share her Catholic’s principles and belief that God has called her to serve in this community by doing and giving what she can to the people that are in need. Mary Jo does not only facilitate the Sharing and Caring center, but through the video, we see that she genuinely cares for the people of the community and she gives all her time and effort lovingly serving the community. After watching the video, we had the privilege of briefly meeting Mary Jo herself.
Our tour guide was led by a sister from The Immaculate Heart of Mary Mother of Christ Sister, who was part of the staff at Sharing and Caring hands. We first explored the Sharing and Caring Hands center where people from the community are able to retrieve free food, clothing, shoes, bus tokens, hygiene products and basic needs for living. There was a large cafeteria room for people to eat, storage rooms that was filled with an abundant supply of donations for basic living needs and also friendly volunteers working on packaging the donations.
After touring our first building, we were led across the street to Mary’s My Hope Children’s Center that consisted of a bright play room that consisted of various toys and stuffed animals. Outside of the center was a basketball court on one side and on the other, a playground for young children to enjoy. Following the children’s center, we were led into our next building: Mary’s Place, where the facility was being used for aiding families who were in need of any assistance in finding stability. They offer services ranging from dental, applying for licenses, laundry, a chapel for personal spiritual health, and health care support. Lastly, we saw the Teen Hope’s center that was a room filled with work out machines, billiard tables, and game systems for the teens of the community.
It was a wonderful experience as we saw the way Sharing and Caring Hands live out their vision every day in these facilities. It truly is a community that comes together in serving the needy as we learned that all of its funding comes from donations only. After the tour, it has truly opened my eyes to see the needs of an urban community and being inspired by how Sharing and Caring’s vision and love for the community is being evidently being overflowing in the works of the volunteers and Mary Jo’s own work. It was a great privilege to be part of the sharing of this vision and love for the community!
-ML
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