Student Reflection: Core Member Anne N. on her trip to Macy and Winnebago and Considers Maslow

Maslow says that for anyone to truly achieve human dignity there are steps that must be met, the first being basic needs such as food, shelter, and clothing. I was able to experience the truth of Maslow’s theory of hierarchy when I participated on a service trip to the Winnebago and Macy Indian reservations. Because of the high alcoholism and unemployment rates on the reservations these necessities too often fall short of anybody’s needs.




My service trip was not focused on helping with the food insecurity in the area, but I happened to get a little glimpse of what it is like. My group was cleaning up the pow wow grounds in Macy when a group of young boys showed up on their bikes. They circled around us and played while we worked. When we moved to a new area they would follow us saying things inappropriate for their age. They were just being rowdy little boys, but when we pulled out our lunches they wanted to be our best friends. They would ask for something small like a cookie or chips and then would sort of hover, just watching. We made sandwiches for them which they took without question and played with them for a little bit. At first I thought it was so sad that the boys acted this way, but then I realized they didn’t know better. They couldn’t treat us with dignity and they were still learning how to respect because they are just trying to meet their basic needs every day. Their struggle to find enough food or love doesn’t give them the ability to reach the next level of Maslow’s pyramid. Maslow’s says that without nourishment we can’t secure our health, our families, and our jobs. Without those securities we can’t feel loved or welcomed with family and friends. If we don’t feel we belong then we can’t respect others and have confidence. Without respect we don’t reach self actualization and can’t begin to give and receive our human dignity. The young boys didn’t have the ability to respect others because their own self respect is lacking due to the circumstances of life and basic needs not being met in their communities. It breaks my heart that something so basic, so abundant as food keeps people from reaching dignity. Dignity should not be absent from anyone’s lives; everyone should be able to know what that feels like.


There is hope though. I saw it in the small food bank near the reservation. Fr. Mike of St. Augustine’s runs a food bank out of the church in Walthill. OO helps support the bank for the reservations. Other food comes from donated money that Father uses to go out and purchase necessary food. Fr. Mike said that they are busiest toward the end of the month when money and food stamps run out. A lot of people rely on the stamps for their nourishment and the food bank does what it can to help them through the rest of the month. The food bank does great work and helps a lot of people, but it only puts a dent in the worldwide problem of food insecurity.