“This is a place for people to come and give.”
Gretchen is the head coordinator at the Inn Project, a transition shelter for people who have crossed the border and are waiting for their cases to be heard at immigration courts across the U.S. Although there are a few staff, the shelter really runs on volunteer power.
“Volunteers come and do night shifts,” said Gretchen. “We have people who come and volunteer just to sit and chat with people, which is so important. They need kind people around them right now.”
Volunteers at the Inn give so much of their time, energy, and heart to helping families at the shelter get through a very difficult and scary time. But the way Gretchen sees it, time spent at the shelter helps nourish the volunteers, too.
“It’s an enriching experience to be here,” she said. “We learn as much from these families as they learn from us.”
There’s nothing we could do to thank these volunteers enough. But, we could definitely try.
Every volunteer at the shelter got a gift certificate to Starbucks – for a much-deserved treat – and a hand written note thanking them for their hard work.
Gretchen was thrilled to find a way to show her appreciation to the team, who make this a place both she and the guests can find some comfort and love.
“Home is a place where the people you love are,” she said. “This is a part of my home. And we – the staff and volunteers – do our best to provide that home for people while they’re here.”
