Life-changing

Joy Stevenson, a Career Success Coordinator at Potomac Job Corps, is a loyal Joyful Food Markets volunteer. She recognized the need for healthy food access in Wards 7 and 8 and wanted to get involved. Every month, she brings a group of young professionals to the market at Stanton Elementary—and the results have been inspiring. She says her students have called the markets, and the opportunity to give back to neighbors, “life-changing.” One Potomac Job Corps student remarked after a recent visit to Stanton: “Kids are learning their numbers from their fruits and vegetables. They’re learning how to eat properly. They’re getting great recipes. Last time I was I here, they were eating broccoli. It’s a beautiful thing.” Yet for Joy, the markets are about more than just supporting neighbors in need. As a career counselor, she lauds the market experience for teaching her students interpersonal and customer service skills—two crucial attributes for any young professional. Reflecting on the volunteer experience, she praises the joyful atmosphere of the markets and the clear expectations for volunteers. “Every week that we come, we know exactly what we need to do. We know how to set it up and break it down. We love the working relationship.”