March Volunteer of the Month - A Tie!

Hey folks, in a too-close-to-call finish, we have two winners for the Volunteer of the Month award for March! A big congrats to our co-winners Carol Loforte and Melissa Redding!

Carol



Melissa

Here's what some of our staff had to say about Carol and Melissa who have both volunteered with New Beginnings at the Transitional Housing Program for over three years(!):

Why Volunteer?

[Mushroom risotto? Pile it high and deep]

Hey folks, volunteer applications to be part of our 2011 Spring/Summer training are due April 15th. Spaces are filling up fast so get yours in today to be part of the movement!
Check out some of the reasons why people (some of our former volunteers of the month, actually) volunteer to help us end domestic violence:

"...I wanted to be on the other end of the [24 Hour Help Line] when [abused women] did call, to share my education and knowledge as well as my admiration for them, hoping to make their road to safety and healing a little easier." - Sara

"...Because domestic violence is a horrible issue that doesn't seem to be going away, and I thought I could be useful to people who are grappling with its consequences." - Shelley

"...I would just like to contribute in some way that is conducive to my talents." - Tom

"...Someone close to me lives with DV everyday. I think a big reason for wanting to advocate for victims is trying to be a better advocate for her, if she ever wants me to be that." - Nikki

Highlights from Speaking at Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church

[Autotune]

This past Sunday, I had the chance to speak at the Edmonds Unitarian Universalist Church about New Beginnings and domestic violence. I spoke at two morning services before the offering plates were passed around and it was overall a wonderful event. It's an extremely generous gesture that they choose us to devote their entire April offerings to us. For those that are a bit hesitant to speak at events, I wanted to share some highlights of things I learned/liked/saw so you get a sense of what it all entails.

5. Church hymns are catchy - My favorite was probably There's A River Flowing Through My Soul. Now, this version on youtube does not really do the song that was sung by EUUC folks justice. The version they sang was a much more upbeat almost T-Pain styled song.
4. Neighbor - Maybe it's just me, but Seattle can be frighteningly unfriendly sometimes. That was not the case here. The "turn around and say 'hi' to your neighbor" moment was a nice one. We need to do that more when there are gatherings of people.
3. First Time Visitor Parking - I'm not making a joke but I think it says a lot when an organization has premier VIP parking for first-time guests and visitors.

2. Advocates for Women - I learned that this church has a group called "Advocates for Women" that describes themselves as men and women who are "passionate about improving the lives of women suffering from gender inequality, domestic abuse, sex-trafficking, inadequate health care, under-education, and poverty around the globe." Nice!

1. The People - Everyone that I met and interacted with was unfailingly pleasant and welcoming. A special shout-out to Terry and Reverend Eric! 

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F.A.Q.
Q: Is New Beginnings affiliated with any religion or church?
A: No. We receive support from many different churches and religious groups but we do not identify as, say, a Lutheran or Catholic organization.