What do you do outside of volunteering?
I am a wife and a mother of 3 beautiful daughters who works full time. I am also involved with Scouts and PTO.
What have been some of your most rewarding volunteer experiences?
The most rewarding have been helping moms move, and delivering meals. I also enjoy sharing Singleton Moms’s amazing work with community partners when picking up Bare Necessities, or introducing family and friends to the organization at events.
What are you looking forward to doing with Singleton Moms in the future?
I always look forward to doing whatever Singleton Moms needs most each week. Lately, I am excited about the new relationship with Harvest for Humanity, they’ll have me gardening once a month to pick fresh produce for all the parents on service. Since I don’t have a garden at home, maybe I’ll even learn something new. I always get way more back than I give when I volunteer.
What brought you to Singleton Moms?
My friend Suzanne Ebanks was using Singleton Moms’s services, and she told me about how Singleton Moms was helping her. She really appreciated your support, and I saw how you made a difference in her cancer struggle in such practical ways. She not only received support from Singleton Moms, but she helped in any way she possibly could. She was a single parent, business owner, volunteer, AND cancer patient. I realized, if she could help, I most certainly could. She continues to be the reason I come every Friday to volunteer. She lost her cancer battle in 2010, but her legacy continues.
What keeps you here?
It’s the relationships. Due to the incredibly important and necessary work of the organization, Singleton Moms attracts the most amazing group of heartfelt volunteers, dedicated staff members, and inspirational parents. I look forward to volunteering, just so I can be around the wonderful people who serve at Singleton Moms. The joy just multiplies when I’m with them.
What has been difficult about volunteering with Singleton Moms?
Fortunately, the benefits of volunteering for Singleton Moms far out-way the challenges. I can’t even mention “making time to volunteer”, because the organization makes it so easy for anyone to volunteer – day or night, weekday or weekend.
The biggest struggle for me is probably emotional. I think of my friend Suzanne often and the fact that there’s so much help needed out there, and sometimes the parents are really sick, or scared, or worried about their kids that it’s hard to focus on the immediate needs, like the next meal or a clean house.
Do you have any advice or wisdom for potential volunteers?
Some wisdom is to remember that you are important, capable, and needed.
My advice is to find your passion within the organization. There’s so much that Singleton Moms offers to volunteers, find the one niche in the organization that you LOVE. If you love kids, join the Singleton Kids committee. If you love cooking, go make some Dream Dinners at a Singleton Kitchen event. If you love parties, join the Events committee. If you love direct contact with those in need, become a Care Coordinator. All you have to do after finding your love, is dive in! You’ll be glad you did.
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