When I started going to a church youth group about a year ago, I got caught up in the idea of giving back to the community (a value I've had since I was a kid).

At age 5, I went to a soup kitchen with my mom to deliver meals to those who didn't have enough to eat. My favorite time of year to donate food was during the holidays.

Years later, I'm still helping out. Now though, I do a little more. From working at Kitchen Angels to bagging food at The Food Depot, I find pleasure in helping the needy. I've spent hours bagging food and passing it out to those in need. I've even entertained the people who came to the shelters, where I volunteered.

I also have done some volunteer work around the Southwestern part of the United States.

I have volunteered numerous times at The Salvation Army, including at the clothing store in Santa Fe and at a camp for underprivileged children in Denver.

Not only did I give my time to the hungry and homeless, but also to the elderly, the misunderstood and the lonely.

I started volunteering at the Rosemont Retirement Center during a weeklong school project, which then lea to a letter-writing project. For that venture, I wrote letters to prisoners from around the globe, reminding them that there is always hope and somebody who cares.

Why do I share all of this? I share this because we, as a city, can make a difference.

To some, it might seem like a small difference, but in the long-run, we can continue to help diminish the hunger and the pain of others.

We can all play a large role in making the world a better place. Eventually, we, as a planet, could have a chance of becoming a better world both socially and ethically.

Through volunteer service, I learned that mankind has helped each other throughout time. The impacts of community service are tremendous.

You can help everyone, including the quiet, suicidal teenager, who with a simple "hi," can change his or her perspective on life.

I have learned valuable lessons I will never forget.

Dasha Wilson is a sophomore at the Santa Fe Waldorf School. You can reach her at dwfreshman2@gmail.com.