As the year comes to an end, the holidays bring memories of family and friends gathering to celebrate the joy each other brings. Arely Torres, a nutrition educator at the Food Bank, shares why serving others through her work allows her to realize the power of giving.
Planning ahead is a must for Arely as she decides on what recipes she’ll present at her nutrition education classes. One day she may be planning for a healthy stir-fry and taking portable burners, pans, knives, cutting boards among other kitchen utensils. Another day, she is preparing for a simple snack at a children’s class and thinking about the activity they will do as a group.
Getting ready for these classes requires grocery shopping and prepping ingredients. Some weeks are busier than others, but she always strives to do her work just as her dad always said - “Everything you do, do it with love”.
With the havoc the natural disasters have brought to our Texas gulf coast, and the recent attacks in Las Vegas and South Texas, Arely decided to ask her classes what they were thankful for as part of the lesson. The children shared with eager smiles that they enjoyed coming to nutrition class, because they always had fun with the games and making snacks.
One particular student drew a very moving picture that said, “I am thankful for you”. This child’s drawing is an example of how we should live our lives, thankful for each other, thankful for what we have, and the opportunity to live life and the experiences around us.
In her adult classes, Arely was overtaken by a family’s gratitude. On the last day of her nine-week adult series class, she was surprised with a rose and heartwarming message that expressed how much the family was thankful for all they had learned. They also shared how they were trying to implement their new knowledge into their everyday lives
“I am thankful to be able to make a difference in other’s lives, and witness first-hand how impactful that can be.I am thankful for the opportunity to serve others,” Arely said.
