I am really enjoying volunteering Anchor Center for Blind Children and it has shaped me in countless ways as a person. It has driven a passion for working with children and the visually impaired, and I can't wait to get more involved with the community. Anchor Center is a nonprofit organization that works with visually impaired children ages 0-5 to provide early intervention and education. Volunteers, teachers, and staff work to help them with emotional development, early education, and independence training to instill confidence.

A typical volunteer shift at Anchor Center really depends on what event you attend. There is everything from administrative organization, planning, coordinating, and taking care of the kids. I have volunteered mainly for Respite: a program that allows blind children and siblings to socialize and learn during a parent's day off. Here, you usually interact with one kid and do various activities with them, such as fort building, pool games, gardening, music, or other activities. Each time there is also specific events that happen, such as early literacy training, water games, sensory learning, mindfulness, and more! During the day, you help with everything in this program, from setup, snack time, game activities, and event planning. The program is very child centric, so the children are the ones that drive the experience and create spontaneity during your experience. One of the best things about service here is that you interact 1 on 1 with your child, forming deep connections with them and longstanding relationships within the community. You also have a lot of freedom in what you want to do; every shift is a new and eye-opening experience.