To conclude our week-long celebration of volunteers who support the youth at CHV, we would like to introduce you to Kristin, who has been volunteering at CHV for 20 years!
Kristin learned about CHV from her grandfather, who was a monthly donor. Kristin was interested in working with youth and in the issue of homelessness, so she decided to volunteer.
Kristin began by working behind the front desk in the old building that was located at Drake St. and Seymour St. She really enjoyed greeting youth and supplying them with clothing and food. One day, some volunteers were returning from a youth outing and Kristin inquired as to what they were doing. Before you know it, Kristin was taking youth out on fieldtrips.
“I’ve done the math, and I figure that I have taken youth on well over 500 fieldtrips.” She said.
From theatrical performances to the Grouse Grind, Kristin likes to take youth to either something culturally enriching or physically active. On one fieldtrip, Kristin took youth to go ride around Stanley Park. “Quite often, a lot of the youth haven’t grown up in Vancouver, so it’s their first time seeing the seawall and it’s such a spectacular view. We rented the bikes only to discover that some of the youth didn’t know how to ride a bike, or barely knew how. So, I gave them a quick little lesson. A few crashes, but we made our way through.”
When asked why she has volunteered at CHV for 20 years, Kristin said, “It’s the youth. It’s very enjoyable spending time with them. The services CHV provides make a big difference in the lives of the youth. I’ve seen this on outings.”
When asked why she thought it was important to give back, Kristin said, “I think that we all have the potential to make a difference and we all have talents and perspectives that we can share. I think it’s also very good for our own self-development.”
“Working with the youth has given me perspective about people and how their circumstance can really shape their experiences in life. And that a lot of barriers that people face can be lessened with the support that an organization like Covenant House provides.”
“I’ve started up again in this role, since COVID, and I didn’t realize how much I missed it. I’m very grateful for my volunteer job.”
We couldn’t do this life-changing work without our volunteers. Thank you, Kristin.