Photo By Cpl. Alissa Schuning | The Dream Center puts donated clothing in a line to be handed out to homeless people...... read more read more
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SAN DIEGO - Service members, family and friends from Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, volunteered with the San Diego Dream Center during the Adopt-A-Block program in San Diego, Nov. 21.
The Dream Center is a faith-based organization that focuses their efforts on homeless outreach.
Capt. Christopher Reardon, the environmental operations officer for MCAS Miramar and a Waterbury, Connecticut native, heard about their need for volunteers from a friend and thought it would be a good opportunity for station personnel to help out the local community.
According to Reardon, he originally asked for 25 volunteers, but approximately 50 people from MCAS Miramar showed up for the event.
“I feel like, as Marines, we want to make a difference and that’s why we joined the Marine Corps,” said Reardon. “People have their different motivations and rationale, but at the core we want to serve our country and serve a greater cause than ourselves and this gives them a different way to accomplish that.”
The volunteers from MCAS Miramar focused on passing out clothes and monitoring the distribution line.
“I really enjoyed getting the opportunity to make a difference, no matter how small, in these people’s lives,” said Cpl. Thomas Willson, an aircraft attendant with Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron. “Some of them don’t have anything and may not have the ability to get themselves out of the situation that they are in, but a little help from me could make a drastic difference in their lives.”
Reardon mirrored Willson’s statements, also saying he feels it’s important to give back when you are given so much.
“Here I am, in San Diego, a Marine, and these are citizens in my community and I want to give back to ensure that they have an opportunity to succeed just like I’ve been given the opportunity,” said Reardon. “I’ve been given a lot in my life and instead of being selfish with the gifts I have received, I want to use them to help others.”
Find more information on the Dream Center’s homeless outreach programs at http://www.sandiegodreamcenter.org/.
| Date Taken: | 11.21.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2015 14:13 |
| Story ID: | 182903 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 46 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Military personnel from MCAS Miramar aid homeless, by Cpl Alissa Schuning, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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