Henry Vendittelli, Class of 2021: The Importance of Volunteering

Every week, groups of four to six students head over to the church from 3:00-5:00 pm, where they chop, slice, dice and boil. Then, they set up the dining hall for the meal that feeds approximately 125 guests each week. 

Henry Vendittelli, Class of 2021, has been a regular attendee at the Friday Food Ministry dinner – often called Out of the Cold – and really enjoys the community service opportunity.

“It’s really important to contribute to the community and it’s nice to help out,” said Henry, who started at RSGC when he was in Grade 7. “Whenever I arrive at St. Thomas’s, they’re all smiling and thanking me. It’s really nice.”

Henry has also been helping Emma Totten, Coordinator of Global Partnerships and Real World Connections at RSGC, to recruit other volunteers from the Junior School for the dinner. He makes announcements during morning assembly, gets the boys together and coordinates them after school.

But while Henry may have started attending the Friday Food Ministry thanks to the coaxing of his mother, Jane Halverson, it has turned into a highlight of Henry’s week. Enough so that Henry has continued to volunteer beyond the 20 hours of community service hours required before graduation from the Junior School. 

“I’ve stopped counting the hours,” said Henry, who is also a Junior School House Rep and GTHL hockey player. 

After spending time with the meal program, Henry appreciates that its value goes beyond the meals it serves. 

“I definitely think it’s important to contribute to society and help people out,” he said. “It’s not just about a meal. It’s also giving them a social place. They’re talking and playing cards, enjoying themselves and having a nice warm meal. It’s really nice to see.”

Jane, Henry’s mother, comes from a volunteering family and knows the importance of giving back.

“Volunteering is something that makes your life meaningful. You feel good when you do it,” said Jane, who isn’t at all surprised that Henry has stepped up to help out with the Friday Food Ministry program. “You feel good when you connect with people and know that you may have contributed to someone else’s happiness and satisfaction.” 

Jane also believes that exposure to the guests who attend the Friday Food Ministry dinner is important for Henry and other Georgians. 

“Henry and most of the boys at St. George’s are very fortunate,” said Jane. “If everyone can do a little bit, it makes life better for everybody. I truly believe that as Canadians, we have a responsibility to the people in our community and in our country. We want to do well for ourselves, but we should always be thinking about the people around us.”

Emma Totten, who has been working with boys like Henry for over a decade as coordinator of the program that brings them to St. Thomas’s, has also seen the value the Friday Food Ministry program brings to Georgians. 

“The program teaches basic cooking skills, learning the value of hard work, rolling up their sleeves and washing dishes, and that there are a variety of stories behind why people come to a program like this,” she said. “It also helps to break some of the stereotypes and build a better understanding of homelessness and poverty in the GTA.”

The partnership with RSGC, St. Thomas’s and the Friday Food Ministry has strengthened over recent years. Three times a year, the College takes care of the entire evening: supplying the food, cooking, serving and cleaning. In December, Glen Algarvio’s Grade 8 class – including Henry – leads the effort as part of their curriculum, including menu planning, buying the groceries and cooking in the science lab. On the actual evening, the band joins the boys to play Christmas songs. In January, the Grade 12 class hosts one dinner, and in April, the entire RSGC community hosts another. 

Emma is glad that Henry has stepped up as a leader.

“He’s been a good spokesperson,” said Emma. “And because he knows how the kitchen works, he’s been a leader in the kitchen. He’ll help any new boy who has come to volunteer. Henry plans to continue helping with the program when he heads off to high school next year.”

Emma loves that students have taken over volunteer opportunities as their own.

“When students run the initiatives, it’s good to see,” she said. “I think it’s good to have it be part of everyone’s mindset.”