Lessons learned from volunteering by Jailyn

Lessons learned from volunteering by Jailyn - April 2022 Scholarship Essay

My name is Jailyn Burton and I am a college junior at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, AL. I am 20 years old and I am on the pre-law track studying to become a lawyer, with a major in political science and a minor in psychology. My act of volunteering that I would like to discuss in this essay is the nonprofit organization that I founded as a sophomore in high school. My mother has always been very big about giving back to the community that gave her so much so she wanted me to find a way that I can give back myself. She established her own nonprofit organization helping people get into college and she gave me inspiration for the idea that I ended up coming up with. I volunteered for many things such as blanket drives, food kitchens, and many giving back foundations. Throughout all the things that I saw, I never saw anyone do pillows. Some people did blankets, my church did blessing bags filled with toiletries and necessities, other people did food, others did clothes, but no one I saw did pillows. I thought that pillows would be a great idea to base my nonprofit organization on by collecting monetary or standardized pillow donations so that I can give back to my community. I figured that pillows would be affordable enough for a lot of people to donate and it was a privilege that many of us had and don’t realize. My mission statement is that everyone deserves to be comfortable. There are many things in life that fortunate humans take for granted and don’t realize how beneficial it is until it’s gone. I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have nowhere to lay my head at night. I figured this nonprofit organization could provide some relief to those who need it.

Through the organization, I was able to get the word out enough to where we got multiple donations and help a lot of people. I ended up going on a local radio talk show to discuss the nonprofit and to get the word out there. We donated to the Vocational School for Disabled Men in Cartersville, Georgia, we were able to donate to Kennesaw State University who had an influx of new students and not enough housing so the students were sleeping in the cars, we also donated to the flood victims of Texas in 2017. I feel good about saying that I was able to make an impact on the people who need it most, with the help of those who volunteered to dedicate their time to helping people.

Founding the nonprofit organization shaped me by constantly reminding myself that there’s always something I can do. There is always a need, there is always somebody in need, and many things that need to be done haven't even been touched yet. I can’t solve homelessness by myself but I can provide pillows to those who need it. This experience has also opened my eyes to other things that I can do. I may not be able to replant an entire forest by myself but I can donate five dollars to plant five trees. I may not be able to solve world hunger but I can volunteer at soup kitchens to provide food to those who need it. I may not be able to solve climate change but I can do my part in being an overall better global citizen by reducing my carbon footprint and participating in environmentally friendly tasks.

I have come to a realization that just because I am one person doesn’t mean I can’t make a big impact. Ever since I came up with the idea of Pillows For Comfort, I have volunteered my time in other places. At Jacksonville State University, I volunteer at the gamecock market which is a place where low income students can get necessities they need. They can get groceries, school supplies, and even a suit or a dress for an interview. I’ve also volunteered with the neighboring city of Jacksonville, which is Anniston, Alabama, for cleanup days. This is where the community comes together and picks up trash, re-plants, and makes the environment look better and healthier. Throughout my community service, I often encourage others to give back in any way that they can. It doesn’t have to be monetary, they don’t even have to get up, they can just share a flyer on their social media and get the word out. There are too many options for anyone to not do anything.

Thank you so much for considering me for the scholarship!