On August 12, 2023, members of the AYLUS Bellaire branch set up the stations used, guided families, and assisted The Alliance (a non-profit organization) staff at Sharpstown Mall on 7500 Bellaire Blvd, PlazAmericas, 201 Sharpstown Center, Houston, TX 77036.
From 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, volunteers completed a variety of tasks all around the mall. During Shift 1, most volunteers moved and unpackaged boxes, set up tables and chairs around the mall, and hung clothing on hangers attached to hanging racks. During Shift 2, most volunteers either distributed backpacks, school supplies, and clothing to families in need or redirected lost and confused families, assisted in providing chairs and other resources outside, and began moving rented empty tables and chairs back to their respective place in the volunteer check-in area to be returned after the event. Clothing included hoodies, baby shirts and shorts, towels, and t-shirts along with some accessories such as alcohol wipes and face masks. During Shift 3, most volunteers continued to help families pick out clothes, flattened empty cardboard boxes, and searched around the mall for the rest of the rented tables, chairs and easels with posters, carrying them back as requested to the volunteer check-in area with and without the help of dollies. Near the end, volunteers helped clean up and transport all supplies from event stations scattered across the mall to the volunteer check-in area.
During the 8 hours, volunteers were able to help The Alliance staff successfully run their Back-to-School Fair event.
The following volunteers participated in this event (Shift 1, Shift 2, and/or Shift 3): Andrew Chen (2.5 hours); Yufei Zhang (3 hours); Miranda Wang, Helena Wang, Delbert Nie (3.5 hours); Raymond Han, Selina Yuan, Isabel Li (5.5 hours); Lucas Wang, Angelina Hoang, Valerie Yu, Nicholas Zhou, Heng-An Vivienne Chen (6 hours); Yuruo Shen, Eliza Teo, Ivy Gu, Daniel Wu, Andrew A. Chen, and Shaun Israni (8 hours).
Reported by Shaun Israni
