Members of TJSL’s student organization Phi Alpha Delta (PAD) set aside some time this week to lend a helping hand to a neighbor of TJSL, Father Joe’s St. Vincent de Paul Village. On January 31, 2012, students Rachel Weckhorst Espejo, Thomas Schibi, Tara Almazan, Eric Bolt and Molly Fashola headed down the street to St. Vincent’s where they picked up their volunteer badges, put on their hair nets, and served dinner to an auditorium full of San Diego’s homeless and hungry population.
Tara Almazan, 1L, relates how PAD’s core value of “service” resonates most deeply with her. “While I look forward to being able to serve the community with my legal skills, I really value opportunities like serving at the St. Vincent DePaul kitchen to remind me that though our future legal expertise will be a valuable resource, our service to our community is not and should not be limited to time spent in the classroom, courtroom, or in an office,” Tara says.
In addition to service, PAD embraces the values of integrity, compassion, courage, professionalism, diversity, and innovation. It is a nationally recognized organization that offers several professional, academic and service-orientated events for its members throughout the school year.
According to its website, Father Joe’s Village is a San Diego-based nonprofit that helps the homeless and those in need regain their self-sufficiency through a unique continuum of services. Being the largest rehabilitation program for the homeless in San Diego, it is nationally recognized for its effectiveness in assisting with food, shelter, clothing, job training, education, counseling, medical care, child care, case management, among other services. Without its volunteers like the PAD members, St. Vincent’s staff could not provide the comprehensive range of services and programs to serve everyone who comes to its community center. To become involved with PAD, contact [email protected]. To get involved with the St. Vincent de Paul Village, call 619-645-6411, or email [email protected].