Giving of His Time & Skills: David Stanley

David Stanley began volunteering with A-SPAN over a year ago. Meticulous and orderly, he began doing data entry for our various housing program. HUD & County Housing grants require much record-keeping, a task that ordinarily takes up a good deal of staff time. By providing this service, Mr. Stanley not only guarantees up follow-up grants, he also frees up outreach staff to seek out and serve more homeless clients. We are ever grateful to Mr. Stanley and others like him who serve as volunteer part-time staff and proud to name him our October A-LIST Volunteer of the Month.

What was your first volunteering experience?

I began assisting A-SPAN as a volunteer at the end of September 2009 by providing routine clerical office support three days a week.

Why did you start volunteering at A-SPAN?

I have volunteered for political and community service since I was in High School. After I was laid off from my job in 2008, I wanted to continue to work and decided to ask A-SPAN if I could be of some service.

Why do you continue to volunteer at A-SPAN?

I have continued to volunteer at A-SPAN for over a year now because my services appear to be useful and are openly and regularly appreciated.

What is your favorite thing about being a volunteer here?

I enjoy working with a great group of thoughtful and considerate people that are dedicated to helping the citizens of Arlington.

What impact do you think you have on our community?

Through the clerical support I provide to A-SPAN, I hope that the organization is able to document the number of people they help and identify on a weekly basis the amount of resources necessary for the continuation of their community outreach efforts.

What have you gained from volunteering at A-SPAN?

I am sincerely thankful for the opportunity to contribute my time and energy to A-SPAN so that this great group of people may continue to assist men and women in need in Arlington, Virginia.

Would you encourage other people to volunteer at A-SPAN? Why or why not?

It is my hope that all Arlington residents who want to reduce hunger and homelessness in their community will take the next step and volunteer their time, energy or funds to an organization such as A-SPAN.

Phototherapy & Service: Thuy "Tweety" Dong

A-SPAN’s volunteer of the month is a full-time interpreter at local courts in Virginia, and works at night as a part-time security officer at an Information Technology (IT) company. During the winter while traveling from one job to the other, she stops in often at the shelter to serve up dinner and talk with clients.

There are many ways to volunteer and many ways to share your unique talents in order to make someone's day better. Thuy "Tweety" Dong first volunteered at A-SPAN's shelter after a friend had volunteered over Thanksgiving several years ago. In addition to serving meals and greeting guests, Tweety asked if she could use her art to brighten the shelter. She uses photography as therapy and to bring peace of mind. She hoped to do the same for clients at the shelter. Over the shelter season last year, clients were treated to framed photographs of gardens, scenic vistas, and cityscapes in the main rooms at the shelter. The effect of these beautiful photos was felt most during the long hours of the blizzards this winter.

For using her talents to make our world a better place, we are proud to call Tweety our September 2010 A-LIST Volunteer of the Month.

What was your first volunteer experience?

My first volunteer experience was back in high school at a nursing home. I remember going there and being asked to just come by and keep people company. It was great just to keep someone company and just talk to them. I could see their smile and how happy they were and it made me feel good. A lot of them didn’t have family, they were really appreciative just to see us because they had no one to come and visit them.

Why did you start volunteering at A-SPAN?

I started doing more volunteering back in 2008 because I had a death in the family. I needed to keep myself busy. I thought if I kept myself busy then it is sort of like therapy. I liked it. So, I involved my husband and I just loved it. Now I just want to keep doing it.

How did you hear about A-SPAN?

I heard about A-SPAN through a friend who volunteered one time for Thanksgiving. She said, “Tweety, you volunteer often and you have to do this one.” So, I came and I listened to the orientation. It was a very good; thorough about everything. My girlfriend came back and did it with me and my husband, all three of us.

Why do you continue to volunteer?

I think it is very important to give back to the community through volunteering. I tell everyone: at least do something on this earth while you are here! Every time I see someone I say, “You should volunteer and you will get something back. I promise. If you can’t go and you need a ride I will drive you there. Just do once and see what it is like. “

What is your favorite thing about being a volunteer here?

Everything. I enjoy the people; but most important to me is the service. It is not just food to help the people on the streets but it is also a shelter. Even just talking, it helps to have someone there, like a mentor, if they have a bad day and they want to vent. It is good just to have someone to talk to. They’re out there all day and people walk by and don’t talk to them. They have no one to talk to. When they come in the evening it is nice to have a volunteer to ask, “How is your day?” Yeah, sometimes they’re grumpy and I usually make jokes with them, “Who burnt your toast this morning? What happened?”

[Talking with people] is the most rewarding part to me. I volunteer because I love to help people. I also love the service that A-SPAN provides, it’s not just one thing it’s a lot of things housing, clothing, food, shelter, services for mental health, jobs, it’s everything, it’s like all in one. It’s not just a place where you go to sleep and they kick you out in the morning.

What impact do you think you have on our community?

I feel I don’t have enough! I need 10 of me. As far as impact, I want to give someone a smile. I want to win their heart.

A Passion for Advocacy – Missy Snelling

A-SPAN A-LIST August 2010

All of us at A-SPAN are proud to announce that the Arlington Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU) awarded our volunteer Missy Snelling the 2010 “People Helping People” Community Service Award on July 28^th. With her background in public relations, Missy devoted much of her time and energy this past year to helping A-SPAN publicize our return to managing the Arlington County Emergency Winter Shelter (EWS) and the improvements we made. The result was A-SPAN and our clients being featured in several news articles in the Washington Post & the Sun Gazette, and in features on Fox-5, & WJLA-7.

She grew up in Fairfax and Washington, D.C. An arts lover, she received a B.F.A. from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Missy then went to New York where she became a casting director for TV commercials and theater. She returned to Washington D.C. and began her career in public relations at the Smithsonian and then at Hillwood Museum & Gardens.

Missy also volunteered at least once a week at the shelter as a staff assistant. She became close with a client and helped him get a part-time job. At the time of Missy’s award, this client’s part-time job had become full-time. She also stood up and spoke on A-SPAN’s behalf at the County Board Budget Hearings in March. Missy hopes that the EWS will soon become a year-round shelter and that she “had a tiny part in that!”

What was your first volunteer experience?

I became a very active volunteer for the 1992 Clinton-Gore campaign and then volunteered for Women for Women International, Martha's Table, Food & Friends and most recently as a teacher's assistant with REEP, Arlington's ESL program.

Why did you start volunteering at A-SPAN?

I became drawn to A-SPAN at a difficult time for me. However, I saw the truly tragic situation of the homeless here in my community and felt I had to help. I began volunteering with A-SPAN last October, and the most important lesson it has taught me is that by helping others, I realized how blessed I am.

What is your favorite thing about being a volunteer here?

My favorite things about volunteering are the clients and working with Olivia Payton, Art Baltrym, Lenora Johns and the other staff from A-SPAN.

Why would you encourage other people to volunteer at A-SPAN?

Volunteering is face to face with the clients and being hands on, and always a new experience each week! I love using my public relations skills in helping A-SPAN and the clients, as it results in more community awareness as A-SPAN is featured on TV and in the newspapers.

The A-LIST : Devona Watson

Every month we will introduce you to a volunteer who makes a difference at A-SPAN, both to our clients and our operations. Our first member of this A-LIST is Devona Watson.

Since October 2009, Devona Watson has been volunteering at Opportunity Place (OP) every weekday morning. With her cheerful expression and dedicated work ethic, Devona (and other OP volunteers like her) is vital to A-SPAN operations. She helps with many tasks, doing anything that is needed- be it filing, washing clothes, sorting donations or stuffing envelopes. In the future Devona sees herself with her bachelor’s degree, still living in Arlington, and working in the federal government.

Why did you start volunteering at A-SPAN?

I began volunteering to give me something to do, because I was unemployed. I was looking for a job and nothing was coming through so when this opportunity came about I took it, and I love it.

Why do you continue to volunteer at A-SPAN?

I still volunteer to help others, to help the clients and staff member here who need me. Especially the clients, because they need more help than anybody else. They need help with getting clean clothes and I love helping them.

What is your favorite thing about being a volunteer here?

I like that I’m helping people that are homeless, people who are close to the state I was in before I got my apartment. I was very close to being back home in South Carolina. I talked to Sam Gatewood (Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Case worker) and he helped find me an apartment.

What impact do you think you have on our community?

I think I show people that at first you can be homeless but if you talk to right people in the right organizations they will help you to find what you are looking for- like an apartment, which I have and I ‘m grateful for.

What have you gained from volunteering at A-SPAN?

I have learned how to help others in a more passionate way. Before, I’d see a homeless person on the street and I’d just walk past them. Now if I see a homeless person on the street I’m more likely to go get a sandwich, walk back and give them something to eat. I can’t give them money because I don’t have it, but I can at least give them something to eat. Some appreciate it and some don’t, you just have to take it with a grain of salt and keep going.

Why would you encourage other people to volunteer at A-SPAN?

They’ve helped me out. A-SPAN helped me find my place and I’m grateful for them. They have helped me get more skills that I need under my belt, as far a getting a part-time job. They’ve taught me to file, fax, and work the front desk. I would encourage people to come and give it a shot.

Welcome to Arlington Street Voices. Our intention is to share stories from clients, staff, and volunteers from A-SPAN, the Arlington Street People's Assistance Network, about what it is like to be homeless or work with homeless individuals. Success stories, almost-success stories, and events in the neighborhood may all be seen here.

Arlington, Virginia is one of the most affluent counties in the nation, and therefore homelessness is often overlooked or is an afterthought when compared to the problems in its neighbor, Washington, DC. But to the individuals who experience homelessness or overcrowded housing in order to make ends meet, their reality is not trivial. The current economic struggles in the nation has led more people to the brink of homelessness, and the extraordinary winter the region just experienced has caused more people to stop and consider what it may be like for people on the streets. Thankfully, there are many kind and caring people in Arlington and beyond that enable A-SPAN and other organizations to accomplish their necessary work. For this, we are all grateful.