An Intern’s Reflection
February 2, 2022
Reflecting back on my time with Hands On Hartford is difficult because there is so much to say! I began my internship experience with the community engagement team. This area gets very busy in the fall, which also happens to be when I started. Around September this organization is getting ready for the holidays, and there is a ton of work that needs to go into preparing for the various events that happen around the end of the year. It was fast-paced and fun, and I learned about coordinating volunteers for the different services that are offered at HOH. The volunteers make all of the work that is done at HOH possible, and working and learning alongside such dedicated and selfless individuals was a amazing experience. It was also an honor to help with the organization of the annual Toy Shoppe held at Hands On Hartford and take part in an event that brought families such incredible joy.
I was fortunate enough to intern with the development team as well. This area operates at a different pace, but is no less busy than the community engagement team. In this role, I was able to do some prep-work for the organization’s annual report, create informational material for the Walk Against Hunger, and assist in the creation of the January newsletter. I also got quite a bit more interaction with the clients that utilize the services here daily, and I loved being able to assist them with the knowledge that I have acquired through working here. Though I have only interned with two areas, I have learned from every part of this organization. I was encouraged to ask questions, even if these questions did not relate to my role, and they were always answered with immense care and detail.
Working within this organization has also taught me a great deal about myself. It helped me to firmly establish my future career goals, and provided me both the experience and one of the recommendations I needed to get accepted into graduate school. I look forward to what the future has in store, and I am grateful for the role that Hands On Hartford has played in helping me to get there. My time with Hands On Hartford is not quite over, and I’m excited to see what more I can learn while I am still here!
![](/wp-content/themes/handsonhartford/assets/img/charity-navigator.png")