In Her Own Words: Erika's Abiding Story

If you had asked me what I wanted to do with my life in June of 2020, I would have had no clue.

Truthfully, at times it felt like there was no “stable” future to look forward to. Everything was uncertain; I’d just deferred my college acceptance by a year in favor of staying home during the pandemic. At this point, I didn’t know what I wanted to do next week, let alone in ten years.

My Mom had suggested I reach out to Pastor Meredith to see if there was something I could do at church during my gap year. Within days, Pastor Meredith had dreamed up the Abiding Presence College Internship program and had tapped me to work as the Food Ministry intern.

Over the course of that year, the church transformed for me. It transformed literally, of course - the Fellowship Hall that I had eaten dinner in every Wednesday night became a storage room for the growing food pantry, often stacked with rows upon rows of packed paper bags on the floor. For me, however, the church changed spiritually as well.

I am one of a few interns who worked for five summers in a row at Abiding Presence, now an “alum” sent off into the world with the skills I’ve learned.

Today, I have found my place as a Community and Donor Relations Specialist for St. John’s Community Services. SJCS is a local nonprofit dedicated to providing person-centered services to vulnerable communities such as adults with disabilities and people experiencing homelessness and food insecurity. To no one’s surprise, my first job post-grad involves managing another food pantry here in Northern Virginia.

The skills I learned, as well as the connections I made, at Abiding Presence serve me every day in my first full time job.

The Abiding Presence College-Age internship program is more than just a summer job - it helped me form a vision for what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. In my five summers working here, I made lifelong friendships, learned new skills, and uncovered new possibilities for what my life could look like.

Thank you, Abiding Presence, for not only helping me figure out what to do, but also for teaching, supporting and cheering me along at each step.