This summer, I organized a Midnight Run with my friend and schoolmate Avigail Goldberger. Midnight Run is an organization that provides food, clothing and toiletries to the homeless people in New York City. Mrs. Tropp and Coach Rifkin chaperoned the trip as well as helped us organize it. Avigail and I gathered eight other girls to help us collect all the items we needed.

On the day of the “run,” a few of us headed to Avigail’s house to prepare all the food. We spent an intense afternoon making sandwiches, sorting clothing, packing bags and organizing everything. Then we were off to the city to meet our guide, Billy. Once there, we had three stops to cover.

Our first stop at 42^nd and 9^th was a bit hectic since we hadn’t quite gotten the hang of how to manage ourselves yet, but by the time we got to the second stop we were handling everything much better. At each of these stops we met all different kinds of people, many of whom seemed to be suffering from mental and physical disabilities. It was difficult to see people so desperate for basic necessities that I, and many others, take for granted on a daily basis.

The Midnight Run left me feeling a confusing mix of emotions. My initial feeling was anger. I was angry that we can sit comfortably in our homes in one of the wealthiest countries in the world while some people in that same exact country don’t have anywhere to stay. I also felt guilty for all of the privileges that I have. Here I am, in my little bubble, living a peaceful life while there are people who have to worry every day about where they are going to get food, or where they are going to sleep. This also made me sad that these people don’t necessarily have the resources to steer their lives on a better course.

Our last stop, 32^nd and 7^th, evoked my strongest emotions. The homeless sleep in cardboard boxes and it was devastating to see. At the end of the “run” we spoke with Billy, who shared his story with us. It was uplifting to see that someone could pick himself up from such a difficult situation. I was inspired by his decision to help people who were going through what he had experienced. I hope that I was able to make a difference by doing this. Everyone who volunteered was so helpful and we could not have done it without each and every one of them.

By Shoshana Snow