Wenda Huang

Since I was in middle school, I have always been looking for ways to positively impact my community through volunteering and leadership. My first service at the Food Lounge was a unique and memorable experience:  interacting with and connecting different people with a sense of purposefulness, unlike the menial tasks of other volunteering tasks. Over time, I focused my efforts into The Food Lounge events. Eventually, my leadership role in The Food Lounge presented itself as a perfect opportunity to help address important societal issues and develop my leadership skills.

During my time as Houston branch manager at The Food Lounge, I have conducted and overseen many activities consistent with our goal of reducing food inequality, including the Mother’s Day event last year, in which we collaborated with Chinese restaurants in Houston and sourced around 600 dollars in donations to feed hundreds of mothers in need.  Multiple volunteering operations have been successfully executed at the Houston Food Bank and the Loaves and Fishes soup kitchen. To ensure the longevity of the organization and its sustainable support to the community, I also secured routine fundraising and donations from local institutions. A wholesale food company, Royal Pagoda, donated rice for use in food kitchens and has pledged future donations at a regular base. I reached out to a local restaurant and was able to secure $3,000 in gift cards to sell, resulting in hundreds of dollars raised. In addition, I campaigned for donations from local grocers and stores, such as Costco, securing hundreds of dollars in donations from them and maintaining good relationships with other restaurants and grocers.

The Food Lounge has greatly improved not only the lives of those being aided, but also those who give the aid. A genuine sense of responsibility is instilled through our work, and many of our volunteers began to appreciate their possessions and utilize them more wisely. I myself have derived great enjoyment from helping solve major societal issues, as well as a deeper understanding of teamwork and leadership. I hope that I will be able to continue leading this wonderful organization towards the advancement of mankind.