Mary’s Heart for Serving—
The Kids at Transition House!
“A friend of mine asked if I wanted to do something fun for Thanksgiving, and I said, ‘Sure!’ I helped serve and sort of just followed the flow because I had no idea what to do. It was fun!”
Before Transition House moved to its current location, church groups acted as overnight shelter supervisors, and that meant one thing: “Sandwich making at 2:00 in the morning,” laughed Mary.
Mary has a talent and passion for crafting. After retiring from a local accounting firm a few years ago she found she had more time to devote to the children at Transition House.
“Years and years ago, when I was still helping serve food, there was a woman painting with the kids. And I said, ‘Oh, that sounds like something I’d like to do.’ I was still working at that time, so helping with art wasn’t an option. Then, when I retired, I came down and said, ‘Do you need a volunteer?’ and so I became a craft assistant.”
Mary now volunteers in the Evening Enrichment Program one to two nights a week. She always comes with a smile and an eagerness to connect with the kids.
“I got involved with the Children’s Program for the families coming into the shelter. To give them some point of stability and some brightness. To let them know that they are still loved. The kids are important, but the parents are important, too. I like when we can talk the parents into coming to Children’s Program, because the parents need to have a little fun, too.”
Volunteering at the shelter means many different things. Dinner Providers are integral in making sure each individual is well fed and nourished, Screeners act as important liaisons between clients and staff, and Shelter Managers make sure the evening runs smoothly. Children’s Program volunteers, however, must wear many hats: creativity, management skills, 4th grade math proficiency, and, most of all, an ability to relate to the kids.
“There was a girl who was 10 or 11 who was a bit of a challenge because she needed to be needed, desperately,” recalls Mary, “And she did this through negativity. After a while, we developed a rapport. We connected.”
One of the essential components to Evening Enrichment is making sure each child feels he or she is important and can continue being a kid, even though the family is going through a time of crisis. Mary makes sure each child she works with feels valued.
“It’s getting down one-on-one and encouraging them to try things. When they say they can’t, I say, ‘Oh, I bet you can,’ and nine times out of ten, they can.” It is this sort of volunteer attitude that makes the Children’s Program a success.
When asked what makes a great volunteer experience, Mary replied “Having a heart for the kids, a willingness to do anything, and showing the kids that they are important. The first time I volunteered with Children’s Program, the kids were really rambunctious, and I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, can I do this?’ And then I remembered who I was there for—the kids.”
Thank you, Mary, and to all our incredible volunteers who give their time and talent for the families at Transition House. Reaching their goals would not be possible without your help.
