The staff of the Operational Emergency Center (OEC) is unfettered by the feel-good romanticism that often afflicts people only casually involved in social work. On one particular day the staff at the OEC is noisily organizing the distribution of food, clothes and hygiene products that improve the quality of people's lives. It's some of the most chaotic generosity on earth.

Fragments of cardboard boxes, random shoes and parts of what looks to be a tricycle are scattered around between tables and people, their cars and the stuff that's being handed out at the quarterly event, a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Piles of jelly sandals slide against brown paper bags filled with toiletries, and a few fall on the ground.

And if it seems messy, that's because it is. Sometimes the less you have, the blurrier the lines becomes between useful goods and junk.

"To help solve temporary crisis and facilitate long-term stability while fostering self-reliance for King County families and individuals who are at risk," is the OEC's mission statement.

The sky is open wide on the day of the celebration, and the centerpiece of the clutter is a 3-foot high pallet of strawberries. People are wandering around, hanging onto bags spilling over with clothes, and as they shuffle away to leave, they take a box or two of the small red fruits.

Because most immigrants aren't initially part of the electric-can-opener culture that most American food evolves around, they are at a loss when someone hands them a tin cylinder of preserved carrots. The food will go to waste and the people will go hungry.

"But fresh carrots — everyone knows what to do with those," Miguel Saldin, the operations manager said.

This is one of the vital functions of the OEC — giving fresh fruits and vegetables to its clients. Not only for nutritional value, but also cultural worth.

Then there's the infant mortality program run by Ellen Hegenauer, who serves as the resident legend at OEC. Although her co-workers claim she speaks 12 languages, the number is closer to five and a half. Everyone also forgot to mention that she's extremely humble.

"I was in high school during the Vietnam War and refugee crisis, and I wanted to help, so I got into the health profession and became a nurse," she said.

Later, she went back to school in Thailand and got her PhD. in public health. She reflects that what she's seen since coming to the States two years ago is nothing compared to working in an army camp during a war, first in Vietnam and then in Turkey.

"Over here, you can't really see the need the same way," she said.

While fighting poverty in South Seattle may feel endless, it's free of the futility that constant bomb raids lent to Southeast Asia.

With the Healthy Mothers and Healthy Child program, she is able to hold open sessions every week at the facility where women can come and ask her about all things motherhood. There is also a satellite program in SeaTac, where she goes to apartment buildings to do her work. Originally the program was intended for pre-birth to 1 year old, the group with the highest risk of death, but she realized it was incomplete.

"I expanded it because there were still children falling into the cracks," Hegenauer said. It now includes children up to 5 years old.

Orchestrating the chaos is Dian Ferguson, the chief executive officer at OEC. She has these disarming brown eyes complimented by this prom queen smile. During the Cinco de Mayo celebration she is conducting the raffle, waving around a plastic bucket filled with tickets above her head.

"Okay, we're gonna draw a number!" she yells, "Everyone ready?!"

And the crowd gathers around to see if it's their number. Meanwhile, Miguel, runner of everyday operations and all-around nice guy, is talking about how unique the OEC is.

He explains that because the OEC isn't zip code restricted, it can serve anyone in need, from Seattle, Tukwila or Renton, and he's right. Looking around at the crush of unique faces, there is a wide assortment of working class here.

"I like diversity," he said. "Everyone has such a different story, and it makes every day exciting, whether it be clients or co-workers."

A woman walks by and shows him the watch she just won in the raffle. Her smile is huge, but it's a bit hard to tell what she's saying. Most of the staff member either already speak a second language or are trying to learn one.

"There's such a need in this area, that's why we're most helpful here," Miguel said, "People need little things like toilet paper and toothpaste — that's why we thrive in this community."

The clothing bank, food bank, hygiene distribution and infant mortality prevention programs are only a few of the selection the center offers. Others are transportation, Medicaid enrollment assistance, utility bills payment, a holiday gift shop and information and referral services, to name a few.

Senior Melissa Henry volunteered at the OEC last quarter as part of her nursing curriculum. While there, she helped develop a program that distributes information in Russian that is similar to Healthy Mothers and Healthy Child. She said she expects this to be adopted by the center, and she encourages everyone in college to explore the complexities of the situations of the people who use the OEC.

Most of the people who use the facility aren't homeless. On the contrary, most of them have homes and families; they just don't quite have enough to get by. These are people that just can't pay their bills with the money that they make.

In fact, the majority of people that use their services are also volunteers, earning groceries after working a five-hour shift. Henry said this atmosphere is one of entitlement instead of guilt-inducing handouts.

One would think that such a righteous cause would make for an overworked volunteer coordinator, but it doesn't. In fact, it seems like there's never quite enough Dians, Miguels or Ellens in the world.

"I think most people who do this kind of work want to see a level playing field for those who have been left out of the American Dream owing to economics, income or lack of opportunities in their lives and that of their family," Ferguson said.

For more information about how to volunteer at the OEC, call (206) 772-9232, e-mail ahubbard@oecagency.com or visit the Web site at www.oecagency.org/volunteer.php and fill out a volunteer application.

Reach reporter Elizabeth Mortensen at features@thedaily.washington.edu.