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Every month, Sarah’s Inn nominates a volunteer to be our Volunteer of The Month. Angell Campbell was nominated as June’s Volunteer of The Month. Angell joined the Sarah’s Inn team in February 2022. Our Volunteer and In-Kind Coordinator, Mariam, asked Angell about her experiences as a volunteer.
- How long have you been volunteering with us, and how did you hear about Sarah’s Inn?
“I have been volunteering for 5 months. My first experience with Sarah’s Inn was from the Prevention staff that visited my classroom to speak to my students at the West40 Alternative High School, an arrangement made by the school’s counselor at that time. The Prevention staff spoke to our junior and senior students on healthy vs. unhealthy relationships. The presentation was eye-opening and I was quite impressed with the content, as well as how actively engaged my students were during the workshop. I knew that I wanted to partner with Sarah’s Inn with the work they were doing to prevent domestic violence through education.”
- What have you enjoyed about volunteering with Sarah’s Inn?
“I enjoy the camaraderie and the support of the staff and volunteers. We all have shared experiences with domestic violence, either on a personal level or with someone we know. In terms of my actual volunteer role, I want to be of support and a listening ear to victims of domestic violence. Domestic violence can be a very isolating experience and I want to provide support to get victims who call into the crisis line to a safe place, along with providing resources to have their needs met. The fight against domestic violence is one of those areas where you can never have enough resources and support, it is truly a collaborative effort.”
- Every month, you take on multiple crisis line shifts. How do you find ways to fit volunteering into your schedule?
“I reserve volunteering during the weekend and weeknights, or during school breaks when I am free and able to focus on the needs of the callers on the crisis line.”
- What made you want to volunteer at a Domestic Violence Agency?
“I wanted to gain the experience since I want to transition into this career to support victims of domestic violence. It was important to me to gain the knowledge and experience to know how to best serve and provide meaningful and helpful information/resources to victims. The training helped to look at situations from different perspectives.”
- Some people may find it difficult to balance working, volunteering, and their personal lives. Why do you think it is important for folks to find the time to volunteer?
“I don’t find volunteering at Sarah’s Inn to be demanding because of the staff support. The crisis line shifts are typically 3 hours. There are some nights where I do not receive any calls and other nights it's busy because I'm calling different emergency shelters to help get callers to a safe place. The volunteering is not demanding, but a rewarding experience.”
- Why should people volunteer at Sarah’s Inn?
“People should volunteer if this is something they have a passion for. They will also have the support and camaraderie from other volunteers and staff members. Knowing you are a resource or a listening ear to a domestic violence victim is a rewarding experience. I recently had a shift where I was able to find shelter for a victim and their family. It feels satisfying to know you were able to help people get to safety.”
Thank you Angell for volunteering with Sarah’s Inn. If you are interested in volunteering, the best way to get involved is by emailing volunteering@sarahsinn.org, where you will be able to learn more about volunteering opportunities that are available to you.
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