Featuring Our Wonderful Volunteer, Christina Mason!

 

Christina is our saving grace at Shelter!  During Monday night house meetings she provides childcare and/or answers the crisis line when staff are busy facilitating.  And she is a problem solver! When she notices a gap in services she is determined to find a solution. She is always on the phone with other agencies and providers asking questions about their services so that we can add that information to our resource lists for participants. She is warm, thoughtful, and kind – so she is a delight to work with for

participants and staff alike.

 



What do you do as a volunteer at New Beginnings?  What does a typical shift look like?

I’m a Women’s Advocate Assistant at the shelter on Monday evenings. I do childcare so moms can attend the weekly house meeting, answer Helpline calls, take residents to the clothing closet and food pantry and support residents by providing information about community resources and a listening ear.

How have you been challenged within your position?

It is difficult to have to turn away Helpline callers in need of confidential DV shelter on nights when the shelter is at capacity. For me, this experience has really driven home the need for more DV services and shelter beds in our community. It makes me realize what a vital and lifesaving service New Beginnings provides.   

How did you come to want to volunteer for New Beginnings?

I have worked in social services for many years and knew that many clients I worked with had been touched by domestic violence. Yet I had very little understanding of intimate partner violence – the resources available, ways to help support survivors, etc. I was hoping this experience would make me a more knowledgeable and skilled social worker in terms of recognizing and responding to DV.   

What do you know now about domestic violence that you didn’t know when you first started volunteering?

I’ve gained a more nuanced appreciation for just how deeply it can impact every aspect of a survivor’s life and their children’s lives – being able to maintain employment, to stay connected with friends and family who the abuser knows, the kids’ ability to go to school. Being at the shelter, it is also truly apparent there is no one “typical” survivor profile, that domestic violence impacts people regardless of age, education level, race, culture, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, mental health, and socioeconomic status. I’ve met survivors from so many different backgrounds.          

Is there a quote or sentence that helps guide you in life?

I really like how the Dalai Lama stresses the importance of kindness above all else, “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”     

Anything else you’d like to share with other volunteers? 

Initially, I did not realize the incredible flexibility in possible volunteer shifts and times. Since the shelter is a 24/7 facility, it can accommodate most schedules. I’ve found volunteering in the evenings to sometimes have a light-hearted and fun side I did not expect – hanging out with the residents and their kids as they are donning PJs, checking out movies from the video library, telling stories and unwinding from the day.