With three weeks down and six to go, the summer is in full swing. We are getting the hang of balancing assignments and social events while also getting to know the attorneys and each other. Last week, the ladies of the summer associate class got to join the women attorneys of Bilzin Sumberg in volunteering for United Way and the Lotus House. The Lotus House is a Miami organization that provides shelter for homeless women and children. Not only do they provide shelter, the Lotus House gives these women training, education, and resources to improve their lives.

The particular event we attended was Women Helping Women, which is part of the United Way Women’s Leadership group. There were so many women from a variety of local community organizations there to volunteer for the Lotus House. If that wasn’t inspiring enough, Georgette, a Lotus House alumnus, spoke to us about how the organization lifted her and her young daughter out of poverty only three years ago. She now holds a position at the Lotus House and was recently promoted. Her story left tears in our eyes and truly exemplified the impact the Lotus House has on women, children, and our greater community.

We were there to create the care packages women and children receive upon checking in to the Lotus House. Each person gets brand new towels, pillows, and bedding. We were set up at stations with all of our supplies, and when they told us to begin we diligently packaged the items and finished them off with adorable bows in every color of the rainbow. The women all worked so quickly and intensely, Claudia, Lauren, Jenny, and I began to wonder if there was a prize for whoever finished first. We quickly realized that this was not the first rodeo for many of these women, and just as fast as the event began it was over.

At the end, we had the opportunity to write cards to the women that would receive our care packages. As I wrote words of encouragement, I looked around and felt very lucky to be a part of something so special and so important to our community. I am excited that we could contribute to helping other women succeed, and I definitely plan on volunteering for the Lotus House in the very near future.