Take Five with Center Volunteers & Staff

GET TO KNOW CENTER VOLUNTEERS & STAFF MEMBERS

When I got furloughed from my job, I began volunteering at the Center in the Senior Pride Pantry, where I am putting together packages of food and supplies and delivering them to senior clients. Food scarcity is increasing during the pandemic, and the needs of our seniors has grown. It is very moving to me to see the gratitude on the recipients’ faces—through a mask, of course—and hearing them say that I’ve made their day.

Doing the deliveries hasn’t always been easy. When we have extreme heat, poor air quality due to fires, and streets closed due to protests, it makes the job more challenging but all the more gratifying. Volunteering at the Center has given me a purpose outside of myself and gives me hope that the Center will be there for me if I ever need it. I’m learning about what really matters in life and how a little effort can go a long way.

Since the pandemic began, the way I carry out my duties in Health Services has changed. Our number one priority is the safety of our clients and staff as we ensure that clients have access to the same levels of care they received pre-COVID-19.

During times when we’ve been short-staffed, I have helped a bit with phones and scheduling. I recently spoke with a client whom I hadn’t spoken with in more than 10 years. Back then, she was newly diagnosed with HIV and coming off from a really bad meth addiction. I was so happy to hear that she has been sober for over eight years, gone through her gender transition, and is back in school this semester to finish her degree.

We are an extremely resilient, perseverant community. Nothing stands in our way of helping each other. It gets very challenging at times, but we will prevail no matter what obstacle is put in front of us. Failure is not an option!