Every month, Sarah’s Inn nominates a volunteer to be our Volunteer of The Month. Kelly Ross was nominated as October’s Volunteer of The Month. Kelly joined the Sarah’s Inn team in February 2015. Our Volunteer and In-Kind Coordinator, Mariam, asked Kelly about her experiences as a volunteer.

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  1. How long have you been volunteering with us, and how did you hear about Sarah’s Inn?

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“I have been volunteering since 2015, for about 7 years. I have been on the mailing list at Sarah's Inn and saw the training on the newsletter; and wanted to wait until my son went to college to do the training.”

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  1. What have you enjoyed about volunteering with Sarah’s Inn?

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“I like feeling like victims have a place to talk about what is going on and on a different level gives them a voice - most times they don’t feel that freedom where they can talk and have a voice - even if it is a 5 minute conversation, it’s still a connection with someone who cares about them. I also enjoy being a part of a group that prioritizes the safety and well being of clients and supporting them in that.”

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  1. Every month, you take on multiple crisis line shifts. How do you find ways to fit volunteering into your schedule?

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“I don’t choose shifts unless I know I am available. I always think ahead of the month coming up - if I know there could be a potential event happening on a certain day, I will not schedule a shift. I would hate to cancel; I only take shifts I am available for and add it to my calendar.”

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  1. What made you want to volunteer at a Domestic Violence Agency?

“I am passionate about ending family violence.”

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  1. 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?

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“There are multiple reasons - I think a lot of times we may feel there are problems we cannot do anything about. When you volunteer though, you feel you are doing something physically and functionally - it hopefully helps the person you are working with. Secondly, instead of feeling like you don't have any agency in these problems in our world, you can step into volunteering to feel that you are chipping away at it.”

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  1. Why should people volunteer at Sarah’s Inn?

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“I think Sarah’s Inn does a great job organizing and caring for volunteers which I feel is unique. Sarah’s Inn has different opportunities like outreach events that inform people about what we do. I think what is unique about Sarah’s Inn is the comprehensive care of victims. I find it interesting what Sarah’s Inn does at the schools; the dedication of the staff to work on chipping away at family violence is huge. I am proud to be a volunteer at  Sarah’s Inn.”

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Thank you Kelly 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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