“Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” -Dr. Seuss
I returned home from work one evening and sat on the couch with my husband and son to re-group and find out about each other’s days. My son told me about the art project he made in pre-school and my husband told us about a budget mistake he fixed in his company’s annual budget. When it was my turn to speak about my day, I proudly told my four year old and my accountant husband that I had just come from a youth drop-in center for homeless teenagers. My son immediately looked concerned and asked me simply, “why can’t they just live with their parents?” His question resonated with me, not just because it’s such a heartbreaking one, but because it made me realize how many people probably aren’t aware of these types of services or needs right here in our community. Now, I certainly didn’t anticipate that my son would know what this type of place was and that’s why I was anxious to explain it – because I feel like it’s so important for me to instill the need and want to give back in him as early as I can. But I also feel like it’s critical that we spread the word about places like this as much as we can because it’s necessary for our future generations.
That particular day, I had been stopping in to check on a volunteer group from North Western Mutual Financial Network at the Haven House’s drop-in center for The Preparation for Independent Living Program. This home offers many services that assist young adults (age 16-21) who are homeless or street dependent with basic needs assistance, employment, and rental assistance. This volunteer group of local employees worked to clean and put a new coat of paint on the walls at this center. Some of the volunteer team also helped at the Wrenn House; the only homeless/runaway/crisis intervention program and shelter for youth in the Triangle; to landscape the yard and make the home feel more like an inviting place for those who need it. These volunteers were able to put in volunteer hours with their company’s blessing and they came away inspired and uplifted about the work that was being done there. In fact, their coordinator, Paul Edwards, told me that they were even able to interact with the children who were visiting these centers and that they just felt so proud of this opportunity to show their support.
However you can volunteer or advocate to help make this community a better place is your choice and yours alone. Your passion may be to help the elderly, be available during a crisis or make sure those who are hungry get fed. But like I said to my son that day, it’s up to us – all of us – to do something to show that we care. Because someone else won’t do it for you. Tomorrow will look like what we make it today.
To volunteer or find out more about the Haven House programs, visit http://www.havenhousenc.org.