Suzanne B.
You Raise Me Up
“You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas”
A favourite song and lyrics by Josh Groban could very much be how Suzanne (Suze) Belleville sizes up her life’s mission – along with her two (‘fur babies’) cats, at her side!
While her main volunteering (over ten years) is at the London Food Bank, computer processing clients, she also has helped out at other agencies including the Salvation Army, ReForest London, CNIB, and the Red Cross. Finding that volunteering is like a separate routine – whereby you get to mentally and spiritually feel good, by helping others – so she encourages others (for example new comers) to get intergraded into their new community. The Food Bank is a good way to do that. She also sees that those who need the food bank less and less, often volunteer their time… completing the care circle from receiver to giver.
In any event, she thanks those clients for not continuing to use the service, when they no longer need it.
Suze says that sometimes the rules are abused and must be enforced for the benefit of all concerned. For example, normally people are allowed one food hamper per month (but not two in one month) but, that a few try to get an extra hamper on the last day of one month and one more on the first day of the next. This not only puts a strain on the foodbank’s current needs – it also means that those people, themselves, run out of food prematurely. Ours is to inform how we operate, and we redirect people to other similar agencies, if they wish.
She’s found that her experience in helping others has made her realize that clients know the difference between a hand out and a helping hand up. She’s empathic and understands when people get angry at the situation in which they find themselves. Oftentimes, it’s not easy.
Hopefully, there will come a time when no one needs to use a foodbank, she says. Until then, she’s learned to have a thick skin and an encouraging attitude. As Suze sums it up, it’s all about people helping people: “kindness and respect goes along way.” she adds. We welcome new clients with a smile, use their name and reassure every client we’re here to help. “We all may be different but really we are the same.” And, anyone can do something… like offering outreach assistance. As someone once noted, when you see how hard some people have it, your situation doesn’t seem so bad.
She’s very grateful for the opportunity to serve at the London Food Bank and to be surrounded with likeminded volunteers – adding that the Thursday workers, are the ‘cool’ group. As Suze says, “It feeds the soul!”
“I am strong, when I am on your shoulders
You raise me up to more than I can be”
– by Josh Groban
(Watch on YouTube)