How long have you been involved with Hands4Hope?
I have been involved with Hands4Hope for at least 5 years. I don’t remember when my first outreach with Hands4Hope was, but I do know that I began participating in Hands4Hope at the end of my 6th grade year.
Why did you join H4H?
I initially joined Hands4Hope as a way to gain community service hours. However, as I began to get more and more involved, I grew to love the organization very quickly and now participate whenever I can.
What have you liked most about H4H?
What I like most about Hands4Hope is its ability to allow youth to become more directly involved within their communities. If it weren’t for Hands4Hope, I probably wouldn’t be able to say that I have had face-to-face interactions with the homeless in Sacramento, or that I’ve helped out low-income families while they were getting necessities like food and clothing.
Is there anything that you’ve learned about yourself while acting as a club leader or outreach volunteer?
I’ve learned various things about myself through being a club leader and an outreach volunteer. By taking part in the numerous outreaches that Hands4Hope holds, I have discovered my passion towards helping others in need and I hope to continue this passion later in life even when I am an adult. I’ve also been able to develop my leadership skills through being one of the secretaries of the Oak Ridge Hands4Hope Clubs. For example, I was painfully shy and quiet throughout all of elementary school and the majority of middle school. It was so bad that I was even diagnosed with borderline autism when I was very young. This all started to change in middle school, which was when I first took part in Hands4Hope events. Through participating with Hands4Hope, I met many people that encouraged me to become more vocal and to take a larger role within Hands4Hope. While I still may have some of my old social tendencies from when I was younger, I can comfortably say that I have grown so much from being a part of Hands4Hope.
Is there anything else that you would like to add?
I just want to express my sincere appreciation for Hands4Hope. Because of Hands4Hope, I am more appreciative of every aspect of my life. I have also had some amazing experiences with numerous people within our community because of this organization, and I don’t know if I would have these connections without Hands4Hope. I love this organization so much and appreciate how it teaches youth to develop a love towards playing a larger role within their own communities. Many may view the contributions that these youth make as trivial and insignificant, but, to be completely honest, any little action could change a person’s life. The youth who volunteer with Hands4Hope make a difference in the lives of those in need, and sometimes these experiences can change the youth who are volunteering as well. I am extremely thankful for everything that this organization has not only done for me, but for many others within our community, and I am happy that I could be a part of it.