Volunteering Experience

When I arrived at The Burke Women and Children's  Shelter I was greeted by Natalie who is a bubbly and sweet woman and in my previous post I shared the great things I learned about her and the role she has as house manager. The shelter is open 7 days a week, 5pm to 8am and is an emergency shelter for those in need. Behind the scenes a lot of work goes into keeping the shelter running. Keeping the shelter, sheets and laundry clean and hot meals ready is definitely a full-time job. Natalie and I  started preparing for intake which is from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm  and is when women and children in need of a place to stay can arrive at the shelter to spend the night. At 4:00 pm preparing for intake  includes folding laundry, preparing dinner, and making sure the shelter is clean and ready for all who may come. At 5:00 pm those looking for a warm bed to lay their head for the night and a hot meal after a cold winter day started arriving. Seeing these woman so grateful to have their clothes cleaned and the ability to take a hot shower made me realize how quickly we can forget that not everyone has these simple luxuries we take for granted. It is one thing to read statistics such as 108 people were counted as homeless in Burke County in January 2012 and 19% of these were women but it is a truly humbling feeling to see the faces of people who are living these statistics.

Besides what the shelter provides for these women and children during their stay, resources are also provided that can help them on their way of overcoming their current situation.  Natalie helps those in the shelter become aware of resources such as where free meals, clinics, and transportation are available along with where they can find affordable housing. While many women that take shelter here have jobs, it proves that it is not enough to make ends meet.  For those that don't have a job, they can take advantage of the computer to search for jobs and to complete online applications.

"The shelter provides stability and peace of mind" says Natalie and throughout my time volunteering this definitely rang true because as an emergency shelter it provides women the security of knowing there is a place for them to stay as long as necessary and this is priceless and  much needed in our community. The work  being done for those in poverty in Burke County is shown vibrantly at this shelter and was inevitable during my time spent volunteering.

Compassion is Key

My mentor arranged for me the opportunity to volunteer at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter so I could see firsthand what it takes to keep the shelter running as well as see what is being done to help the women and children that come to this emergency shelter in need. Upon arrival I met an amazing woman, Natalie, who is the house manager of the shelter. After interviewing and volunteering with Natalie I have realized that being a house manager takes a very compassionate person who knows the impact they can potentially have on each individual or family who comes through the door and Natalie is just the person who is capable of having a great impact. Her story is one that I'm sure is encouraging to those that come through the shelter because it reveals that she has been in their shoes. After working and not being able to afford transportation to and from work along with the other costs of living she too had to seek  help. But she encourages others by saying "that was a hard time but I got through it and they can too" and continued with "I tell them that this is a speed bump and you just  need to have faith". Not only does Natalie keep the shelter running but she also provides the women and children that come through the door with resources to help them get out of their current situation. I learned a lot from Natalie after volunteering here, check out my next blog post to read more about my experiences at the Women and Children's Shelter.

 

Natalie and I discussing her role and story

The Beginning

I am beginning my senior project learning about poverty in not only America, but in our area. Through this blog I want to bring awareness to not only what is being done, but what you can do to help those in poverty.

People in poverty           NC 17.8%.                  Burke County 20.7%

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-level-data-sets/poverty.aspx


Having a percentage higher than the state average shows the awareness and action needed for poverty in Burke County. For the project portion of my senior project I will be working with The Meeting Place Mission to see firsthand what is being done in our community. The purpose of The Meeting Place Mission is to assist people who are homeless by providing shelter and meals, being a support system through recovery, and setting goals so that each individual or family can get out of their current situation. The three programs The Meeting Place has are FACES, Men's Transitional and Burke Women and Children's Shelter. By volunteering at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter, I  have learned so much about what this awesome program is doing in our community. I can't wait to share these experiences with you!


The Meeting Place Mission Website