Youth Spotlight: Jillian Wolford

1 day ago
3 min read

Jillian Wolford first heard about Hands4Hope - Youth Making A Difference through her friends on the Union Mine High School track team, who had been involved for a long time and encouraged her to give it a try. She did, and she was soon hooked. In the two years she has been participating, she has tallied more than 167 service hours.

Now a Junior at Union Mine High School, she is currently serving as President of her on-campus Hands4Hope Club. She has participated in the Hands4Hope Essentials Committee for two years, and is serving as Secretary of the committee this year. Her latest major leadership accomplishment was serving as Empty Bowls Committee's Youth Operations Lead, overseeing the event's complicated logistics with many moving parts.

Adult Mentor Lynn Fedoryk said, "Jillian did an amazing job as the Operations lead for the Empty Bowls Dinner fundraiser. She led her committee with enthusiasm and compassion and made sure that everything was completed in order to make the event an evening to remember that will also provide needed funds to help fight food insecurity in our community and beyond. She truly cares about other people and will do even more great things in the future!"

Previously, she had been a participant on the Empty Bowls Committee, the Essentials Committee, has participated in Upper Room Dining Hall outreach opportunities, and has a previous year of on-campus Hands4Hope Club experience, as well. Wow!

Jillian says, "Being a part of Hands4Hope makes me feel so happy to be helping my community. I see the parts of my community that are struggling, and I make an effort to help them as much as I can."

How have your experiences with Hands4Hope shaped you into the person you are today compared to when you first joined?

Being part of Hands4Hope has given me so much more confidence in myself, along with communication skills that I don’t think I would have developed otherwise. Before joining Hands4Hope, I would never have been able to speak in front of a large crowd—but now I can, because I’ve had friends who pushed me to do hard things and step out of my comfort zone. That has strengthened my communication skills in everyday life. I’ve also improved my project management, marketing, and creative skills.

Has participating with Hands4Hope helped you with school, friends & family, and in life?

I learned time management skills, and how to organize my time more efficiently with homework. It makes me happy to help my community in any way I can.

Do you have a special memory you've made along the way with Hands4Hope?

One of my favorite memories was participating in Union Mine Club's "Cinema and Snacks” when one of the theater tech crew taught me how to use the tech board. It was such a fun experience and something I had always found super interesting. It was so cool.

What would you tell someone who is considering getting involved in Hands4Hope?

I would tell them it is a great way to make new friends, support and feel involved in your community, and get practice being in professional situations.

How do you see yourself staying involved in the future?

I see myself continuing to stay involved in my school club and the Hands4Hope Empty Bowls Committee, and I will hopefully continue volunteering as I get older.