Kara Barnes - Volunteer Work

When Covid began, I was asked by my technology teacher to print Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) for Howard University Medical Center. I printed the component that wraps around the head, and then delivered it to another team member who cut and attached the plastic shield. Though I was only a small part in a big operation, I printed about >100 head components. The overall project produced almost 1,000 shields for medical workers.

3D Printed Head Components (Click to Expland)

3D Printed Head Component

Howard Medical Professionals Wearing 3D Printed PPE

The Finished 3D Printed PPE Shields (About 1,000 from whole project)

Howard Medical Professionals Wearing 3D Printed PPE

While I was acting as Youth Representative, I was also a member of the Youth Group, where I participated in acts of service for our local community. We often made dinner for people close to the church who needed a warm meal, organized food donation drives, and made care baskets for disaster areas and the homeless.

We also took a mission trip to Houston in 2018 directly after Hurricane Harvey touched down. During our Synod day, my Youth Group helped a local elementary school rebuild their playground and drop-off area. We were first given a tour of the school and told we
would focus on fixing outdoor play spaces that had been damaged during the storm. The school was given free turf from the Astrodome to lay down on part of their playground so that the kids could have an area to play soccer. Teachers, parents, and a construction crew all came to help with laying the turf down. In addition to the new play area, we also painted the drop-off area and cleaned up debris left from the hurricane's damage.

Group Photo

Service Photo

Dog Toy Making for Local Shelter

Shrove Tuesday Community Dinner

Food Donation Drive

My mother and I have been fostering cats and kittens through a local animal rescue organization since 2013. Together, we have helped over 200 cats receive new homes. We have also raised many "Bottle Babies," or orphaned kittens who needed 4-5 feedings by hand each day. My duties often include feeding and playing with the cats, cleaning up their room, assisting in their medications, washing fleas and dirt off new fosters, and speaking to potential adopters at our fairs each week.

I have featured some of my most recent fosters below, all of whom have gone to safe and loving homes.