volunteers.

As the days grow longer and the air grows a little sweeter, we can tell spring is on the horizon. At Catholic Charities this means it’s time for celebration! In April we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation Month and in May we honor our Volunteer of the Year at our annual Gala event.

With over 6,100 volunteers donating a mind-boggling 126,000 hours to our 14 programs in 2019, it’s hard to choose just one person to recognize! We are fortunate enough to be in the position to have so many wonderful volunteers that make up this special group.

Some of our volunteers have been with us for decades, like Fred, who has volunteered at the Christmas Bureau for almost 30 years. Fred is known as the go-to-guy that always has a joke and a smile, a helper with a capital H! He goes out of his way to make everyone feel welcome and respected, even when they are having a hard time around the holidays. Fred is well loved by other volunteers and is also first to lend a hand throughout the year with other programs. Catholic Charities is blessed to have volunteers like Fred that embody our mission so completely!

Other volunteers have a different kind of connection to Catholic Charities, like Jordan. For the past year and a half, Jordan has been serving lunch at the House of Charity (HOC) every Friday through his employer-based volunteer program. Jordan also requested to volunteer an additional 50 hours a year, which his employer not only approved but matched with a $100 donation. Jordan is so passionate about volunteering at the HOC from his time spent as a patron, when he struggled with substance use disorder and mental health issues. While he was experiencing homelessness, Jordan found his path to stabilization through help from the Providence HOC Medical Clinic and because of this has sustained over four years of sobriety. Catholic Charities is proud to have Jordan as part of our team!

Stories like these are just a glimpse into the thousands of amazing volunteers that give the gift of their time and energy to support our most vulnerable neighbors. Join us in celebrating volunteers by attending the Catholic Charities Gala or learn how you can become one of our precious volunteers!