Volunteer
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One could be forgiven, thinking of homeless youth, for despairing at what any one person can do. We give what we can, do what we can. Still, there are so many, needing so much.
For those who have ever despaired at the task before us, at this year’s luncheon Valerie Backus showed the way. She reminded us what teams are for: getting things done that none of us could do alone.
Of course, Val’s been helping build her team for years. They work well together. That’s why they were able to entirely repaint the interior of our Pathways house in two weekends, beautifully.
Val issued a challenge that day: “I am asking you to reach into your hearts and serve.” She made it clear that, for young people who need everything—back again, or finally—everyone has something to offer. She called on each of us, in our own capacity, but stood for the power of community.
Thank you to Val and her wonderful team of volunteers, for all your work at Passages!
“Everything is going great so far. Casa de los Amigos is extremely accommodating, and I have been learning a lot. They have included me in the education process of the adolescents, the cooking of meals, outings to the library, and also just spending time with the youth playing games or practicing English. Overall, the entire experience has been above and beyond what I expected. It is a really amazing thing to be able to meet youth from so many different countries. I am improving my Spanish and also learning to connect with Spanish speakers from across the globe. They all have great stories to share.”
“So far volunteering at CASA has been really fun and enjoyable. The kids there are very nice and fun to talk to. The only thing is that they’re Spanish is very difficult to understand and they talk super fast. Other than that, I really enjoy being there. The only sad thing about volunteering at CASA is seeing them leave.”
