On 26 April, Fundação Vasco Vieira de Almeida once again joined Serve the City in organising a Community Dinner for people in a socially fragile situation.

The initiative took place in Cidade Universitária's Cantina Velha, in Lisbon, and involved 43 volunteers - VdA staff, families and alumni - who came together to serve a meal to around 70 socially vulnerable people, of which some are going through homelessness, in an atmosphere of sharing, inclusion and service.

On the day, volunteers provided support in preparing meals, dinner for the guests and in organising support in the kitchen.

The Community Dinners are organised in Lisbon, Porto, and Coimbra by Serve the City in partnership with various entities that finance the dinner and, at the same time, mobilise volunteers who provide all the support for the initiative.

It was a memorable volunteering and citizenship experience, shared by all!

The beauty of volunteering results from the synergy between, on the one hand, the willingness to "give without having to receive" and, on the other hand, the awareness, present at the end of each action, of having received and learned much more than what was given, asked for or even envisaged.

Diana Leandro

I had the opportunity to follow the work behind the scenes, first in the kitchen where the dinner was prepared, then in the serving area and finally back in the kitchen where the dishes were washed, dried and put away. The spirit of commitment and mutual help from all Serve the City volunteers is incredible. And the intensity of the work required to make each meal possible is impressive. It was an exceptionally rewarding experience. Thank you so much.

Ana Abrunhosa

It never crosses my mind not to volunteer when I receive an invitation like this! Because the joy and satisfaction I get from serving others is the first feeling that pops up! It's rewarding and appeasing!

And once again this feeling was experienced in a perfect atmosphere of sharing and mutual help between volunteers. A special way to bond with colleagues with whom we work daily in a different and professional register. It was also great to have this initiative extended to the VdAlumni and to be able to be with former colleagues during such a noble activity!

Clara Santos

 

I thought it was wonderful to see the smart appearance and Joy with which the guests arrived and introduced themselves. Also the laid-back atmosphere among all the volunteers in the different groups is very healthy. Seeing how in this kind of activity, with so many people, proximity is possible and happens is comforting and makes us believe that being a volunteer is much more than offering something, it's about giving a little of ourselves while receiving a little of the other.

Sofia Mello e Faro, Alumni