Faith Community Volunteer Jadine with a youth and her son

Faith Community Volunteers help change the world for homeless youth by building meaningful relationships with the young men and women they serve.

Faith Community volunteers have been a source of joy, support, and encouragement to the youth at Covenant House for over 30 years... and their stories inspire us all to want to help rebuild the lives of homeless kids.

 

Jadine’s stories about volunteering at Covenant House

Jackie the New Yorker

The New York Faith Community house is generally considered the hub of Faith Community since we host the orientations, formations, and various other visitors. One of my favorite visitor experiences was when a group of college students from DePaul University came to stay with us during their alternative spring break.

One evening, I was the only Faith Community member in the house, along with the group from DePaul. I was in my room, relaxing and working on a painting when one of the students came to invite me to eat dinner with them. I hesitated for a moment, thinking it might make for an awkward experience, but my growling stomach outweighed my hesitation, so I washed the paint off my hands and went to the dining room. Shortly after sitting down, I realized that everyone at the table was speaking in thick New York accents.

I couldn't help but join in with their ridiculous game and we laughed together through dinner. I think my puzzled face must have egged them on as the conversation began to sound like stadium chatter at a Yankees game. It was suddenly a requirement to end every sentence in "or whatevah!" and my new "New York" name was Jackie (I even have a sign on my door to prove it). I could hardly stop laughing enough to get the fork from my plate to my mouth. In a lot of ways, Faith Community has not only brought me out of my comfort zone, but it has expanded the boundaries of my comfort zone as well.

That's not to say that I've gone from an initially shy and generally guarded person to an confrontational extrovert, but I can say without doubt, that through my experience in the community and at the crisis shelter, I feel much more capable to take on wildly diverse populations of people and situations with more consistency and mental clarity. I came into Faith Community as Jadine the Californian, but I’ll be leaving as Jackie the New Yorker.

Gaining More Than You Give

Before I left California to live in the New York Faith Community, I remember driving to the airport with my mom and she told me that I would gain more from my experience than would the kids I'd be serving. I understood this on some level at the time, and since then it has become clearer with each passing day. A particular moment that illustrates this came shortly after I arrived at Covenant House.

I'd been sick with a cold for weeks, I hadn't been sleeping, I was working alone, and the constant heat and pouring rain were getting to me. In my mind, my focus was to do my job, get what needs to be done accomplished and get through the day.

In the back of my mind I thought of what we were told during training—that we would need to leave our personal struggles checked at the door in order to most effectively serve others. I felt like I was on the brink of failing at this. But I pressed on with a strict focus on tasking, keeping busy to avoid being left alone with my exhaustion and distracted mind.

I found myself alone, standing at the desk, thinking of what I could do next, when Tawana walked in. Tawana had been a resident at Covenant House for a few weeks and while she could have a fiery temper, she and I had always had a very positive rapport. She stood before me and said hello, I looked up and gave her the best "good morning" I could muster. She walked toward me and said "Miss, are you ok?" At that moment, I felt like my heart had faltered a bit, skipped a beat or maybe torn a little. Here was this young teenage homeless girl in a crisis shelter, asking a staff member if she was OK.

During that moment, I struggled with the thought that I needed to erase whatever emotion was on my face, and correct the momentary reversal of roles, but at the same time, I realized that Tawana and I were simply two people, one taking care of the other through a small gesture—"Are you ok?" I inhaled slowly, smiled, and told Tawana that I was ok, just tired. In that moment I realized the deeper significance of what my mom had told me.

Erika reflects on being a community faith volunteer

To Love Requires Prayer

In contemplating how I can better love these kids, selflessly and unconditionally, God showed me a seemingly obvious truth. To love requires prayer. I will be the first to admit that my prayer life is both inconsistent and weak. I feel as though my prayers are overly focused on confession.

While confession is important, dwelling only on this aspect of prayer puts me in a position where I see myself in a negative light. What began as humility becomes a disdain for failure and a sense of helplessness. This is not of God. God wants to empower me to overcome these weaknesses, not to dwell on them.

I have been feeling like a failure at loving; I have felt that I lack compassion for the youth and have become mechanistic in how I deal with their issues. I have become obsessed with paperwork to the point where I will spend an entire shift updating files without any interaction with the kids and still feeling as though I have accomplished something. I do these things because I know they are important—the casework is what will ultimately help kids get to the next step. However, I cannot lose track of where or who that youth is in the process.

In struggling with this, God’s answer has become obvious: pray for those I serve. In lifting them up in prayer, God empowers me to focus on them as individuals, as His Beloved Children. Praying for them enables me to truly love them with the love of Christ, to see them as He sees them. I cannot truly serve anyone until I begin to recognize each of them fully in His light.

The Power of Positivity

I came to Covenant House believing I could a positive impact on the lives of kids, both in offering them encouragement and support, as well as assisting them in making steps towards a successful future. Outside of this, I did not really know what to expect. I knew I would gain experience and a better understanding of the issues faced by homeless youth, and I anticipated the great sense of accomplishment and joy that goes along with giving of oneself to benefit others. However, I very much underestimated how much I would learn from, and be inspired by, the residents themselves.

Cassandra came to Covenant House in my first few weeks working on the Older Females Unit of Crisis, and I could immediately tell she would be a light for the other residents. She quickly befriended her roommate, Shari, who was definitely not the easiest person to get along with. Cassandra offered Shari comfort and understanding in a way that even the staff was often unable to do, and offered this same positive attitude to the other residents on the floor. It was hard not to smile when Cassandra was around.

Her positivity was tested time and time again, as we were constantly lacking resources. One particular day, there were no Metrocards left, and Cassandra had a job interview. Cassandra walked more than fifty blocks to get to her job interview. She did this wearing heels, although she could barely stand in heels—a feat in and of itself. But not only did Cassandra walk to her interview—on the way she stopped in every business to ask if they were hiring and to pick up an application. She did not do this for her own benefit; Cassandra brought back the applications for other girls on the floor who were looking for work.

When I heard this story, I was incredibly encouraged and inspired at how Cassandra had brought so much good out of a difficult situation. She really reminded me of how I should continuously be living my life, finding opportunities in my challenges to serve others with my whole heart. I know that when my life becomes stressful, I will look back and remember that I always have the capacity to serve, in some way, despite my circumstances. In case you were wondering, Cassandra got the job. And soon after, a second job. I am confident that her positive attitude and love for others will help her to go far in life.

Erin’s story about volunteering for homeless kid

"My Boys”

“My Boys” are the residents staying on the older male floor in Covenant House New York. My job is to help them with goals such as gaining identification, enrolling in Medicaid, and finding employment and housing. The steps can be slow and tedious, and a shelter is a tough place for anyone to call home. From the first minute I walk on the floor, my skin crawls as I realize how truly privileged my life is.

The two-year age span between me and my boys feels nothing like the age difference between me and my sister – also two years younger. Her I would never consider “my girl,” but she would never require from me the basic necessities that my boys need daily. Somehow, by winning the birth lottery, my sister and I have been given a lifetime’s accumulation of resources, education, and support that my boys at Covenant House struggle every day.

Though our backgrounds could not be more different, I feel a connection to these boys that makes using objective words such as youth or kids difficult. Because of Covenant House, I have the blessing of being a resource for many things to these kids. I do not take the role lightly. How could anyone see and hear about their lives and not be moved to give as much as possible?

Helping these boys is not only my job, but also my goal, my inspiration, my privilege. Seeing these young people in crisis is enough to motivate me to fight for their needs. As a daily witness to their strengths, their weaknesses, the barriers they face, and their humanity, I can never say I work with young males. I work with my boys.  

Bridget’s life-lesson learned from volunteering

Maturity Beyond Their Years

“What do you think about poverty in our society?”

I was asked this question one night by someone who had experienced it first-hand. He is 17 years old and has been at Covenant House for a little over a month.

I was thrown off-guard by his question, as my interactions with him up to that point were only jokes and sarcasm. He started to tell me his opinions based on what he had experienced. I continued to ask him questions and he mentioned a few times that he was very fortunate to be at Covenant House and how there are a lot of people who are worse off. He was no longer thinking about himself, but all those struggling in our society. He was frustrated, hurt, and angry. He understood the bigger picture. He had shown maturity beyond his years.

We talked for a while longer and then he left the office and we didn’t talk of it again. But for that short time he chose to show me a piece of his heart... his struggles, his past, and his ideas on how to make things better, not just for him, but for others also living in poverty.

I shut the door to the office and sat, amazed. It hit me how much more there is to learn about the issues plaguing our society. Not only knowledge about government funding or programs available and not available, but about personal experience. There is so much to learn just by talking to people.

How many times do I pass up those opportunities? How many people do I pass by on the streets and only give a simple hello, rather than starting a conversation? The answer... far too many.

Teresa’s Poem from a Covenant House Kid 

Revealing the Raw Hide Underneath I’m talking with my mouth
and saying words that aren’t even really words.
Lies spilling out of my mouth like crumbs, so easily,
so perfectly.
Born with the ability to lie, born with the ability to hide. Man I can do this forever.

Wait, stop.
Something’s not right.
What’s going on?
It’s you. And you. You see the real
vulnerable me.
You see the scared, sad, nail-biting me.

Now I’m trying to push you away, but I can’t.
Now I’m trying to scare you away, but I can’t.

I’m talking to you and I like it.
I’m letting my emotions out and instead of hating it, I’m relieved I’m doing it.

And you’re accepting it.
Seem happy I’m doing it.
Smile whenever you see me.
Maybe that was always my secret,
private wish that I’ve been holding in,
Been close to my heart since I was ten.
Gave me the keys of comfort and security.
Gave me the constant friendship that I desperately needed.
Like a sea of joy and the ocean of compassion.
I know that you will never change.

 

 

 

For more information about Faith Community Volunteers, please contact Joan Conroy at faithmail@CovenantHouse.org or (212) 727-4081.