Presenter: Sophie Ledet, Psychology, Global Public Health Scholars
For my practicum project, I volunteered at Wider Circle’s headquarters in Silver Spring, MD. Based in the DMV area, A Wider Circle (AWC) is a nonprofit organization that aims to end poverty by providing home essentials and professional materials/support to families and individuals facing material insecurity. AWC aims to reduce poverty by increasing the standard of living. When basic needs are met, individuals and care providers can spend more time and resources on other aspects of life and foster a productive atmosphere. I worked under their Essential Support program and my primary roles were to sort donations, assess whether they are in “dignity” condition, and organize them into sections (i.e housewares, linens, baby clothes, etc.). I additionally stocked the showroom as well as created contactless family boxes of household necessities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I learned that everyone has a right to comfortable home life and to be treated with respect, which is key to breaking the cycle of poverty. The work I did helped provide clients with the materials to ensure a stable household and the physical resources to secure a career.