Christine Salinas: dedicated, thoughtful, dependable

Sanctuary for Families

Christine is a 2017 Pillars of Change Honoree.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week! Every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer who will be honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition Event on May 10th. Learn More and register for Pillars of Change.

Three years ago, Christine Salinas was searching for volunteer opportunities dealing with issues that were close to her heart: children and young people, domestic violence, and immigration. That’s when Christine found Sanctuary for Families.

After completing Sanctuary’s volunteer application, she was set up with an opportunity supporting childcare staff at the Queen’s Family Justice Center. “Despite their situations, I found that their experiences didn’t stop them from being kids”, she remembers, “They are incredibly resilient plus they help me stay young!”

Due to Christine’s Spanish language skills, she soon transitioned into another volunteer role: providing written document translations within Sanctuary’s volunteer-led Translation Project, which fulfills translation requests in multiples languages from staff throughout the agency.

The best part of this new role for Christine: translations can be completed virtually, via e-mail, in the volunteer’s own time. “Many volunteer opportunities are not available after 5pm but I was extremely fortunate to have found Sanctuary”, she explains.

Christine has become an indispensable part of the Translation Project, having completed over 50 unique translations with a cumulative donation of almost 150 hours of her time and skills supporting Sanctuary staff and clients.

Christine has translated everything from birth certificates, divorce decrees, and asylum applications to transcriptions of videos, outreach and training materials, and children’s books. She always makes herself available for translations and often replies with an enthusiastic, “keep ‘em coming!” to requests from Volunteer Program staff.

In addition to the superhuman speed in which Christine is able to complete translations, her attention to detail and genuine care for Sanctuary’s clients has not gone unnoticed. As such, Christine has been continuously entrusted with sensitive translation requests that require a volunteer with the strongest sense of confidentiality, professionalism, and thoroughness.

Not only has Christine never disappointed, staff consistently rave about the quality and efficiency of her work.

Christine intends to build upon her passion for helping others (with help from her newly-developed skills in both English and Spanish legal jargon) to pursue a career as a lawyer within the social services field. We wish luck to Christine in all of her endeavors and hope to keep her involved in Sanctuary’s work for a long time to come!

We look forward to celebrating Christine’s service at Pillars of Change on May 10, 2017.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Hilda Sanchez: A volunteer, and a part of the team.

Sanctuary for Families

Hilda helps Sanctuary Clinical Admin staff stay organized.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

Hilda Sanchez has been volunteering with Sanctuary for Families for more than two years.

Hilda was initially connected to the organization through her friend and Sanctuary staff member, Sandra Cabal.

“I learned from Sandra about the services Sanctuary provides to support clients in times of crisis, and I was inspired to take action and get involved as a volunteer,” recounts Hilda.

Over the past two years, Hilda has dedicated her time to Sanctuary’s Clinical Administration team, where she spends up to twenty hours per week assisting with critical data entry work, scanning and filling client files, and a variety of other tasks as needed.

Hilda takes on her volunteering responsibility with pride and devotion. “Thanks to Hilda we have been able to become more organized,” says Sandra.

“Because she helps with the things that usually get pushed for later (i.e. filing, scanning, creating electronic files, archiving closed files, etc.), we are able to focus on deadlines and other work that requires our immediate attention.

“More than a volunteer Hilda has become part of our team and we feel pride when staff often comment of her dedication and tells us how lucky we are to have her around.”

Sandra’s feelings of pride and thankfulness for Hilda are very much mutual.

“It is an honor to work with my colleagues in Clinical Administration,” Hilda says.

We are so grateful to Hilda for her incredible service, and look forward to honoring her at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Kate Bieber Ogg: Volunteering to End Gender Violence

Sanctuary for Families

Kate educates her family and community about Sanctuary’s work.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

Kate Bieber Ogg has been involved as a Sanctuary volunteer on and off for nearly 10 years.

Kate first heard about Sanctuary in 2000 through her interest in issues surrounding gender violence and women’s rights. She began volunteering with other organizations tackling those issues during her college career, and officially began volunteering with Sanctuary in 2002 as a law student participating in the Courtroom Advocates Project.

“I believe in the importance of telling our community, and showing my children, that gender issues are crucial in today’s society,” says Kate. “Organizations like Sanctuary demonstrate that we will not turn a blind eye to the pervasive issues of gender violence.”

Over the years, Kate primarily volunteered as a ‘Holiday Helper’ during the holiday season, simultaneously contributing to the Adopt-a-Family Program and other various events. In 2014, she decided to increase her commitment to the organization and began volunteering two days a week within the Development Department.

Kate has provided tremendous help in organizing events, reaching out to current and prospective donors, doing research, and tracking and thanking supporters.

“I love hearing about the positive experiences of staff and clients alike, but I find it most rewarding to spread the word about Sanctuary’s work,” Kate says.

“Whenever I have the opportunity to speak to someone who has never heard of Sanctuary, and the conversation eventually turns into ongoing support in the form of a donation or volunteering, I know my work is meaningful.”

By giving her time as a volunteer, Kate has learned that the power of people to organizations like Sanctuary is critical.

We are so grateful to Kate for her incredible service, and look forward to honoring her at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!

Doreen Jackman: Seamstress, Tailor, Volunteer, Friend

Sanctuary for Families

Doreen keeps our Butterfly Boutique in shape.

It’s National Volunteer Recognition Week, and every day this week we’ll be highlighting a Sanctuary volunteer being honored at our Pillars of Change Volunteer Recognition event on May 5th. Learn more and register for Pillars of Change.

Doreen Jackman knows the value of a good outfit. A skilled seamstress, she has volunteered with Sanctuary for over six years, lending her tailoring talents to clients in need of new suits for job interviews, and assisting our In-Kind Donation Program staff in managing donations. Prior to become a volunteer, Doreen worked at Sanctuary for five years.

Doreen spends countless hours every week volunteering in The Butterfly Boutique, Sanctuary’s on-site space where clients can “shop” for donated clothing, toiletries, accessories and other basic necessities to meet their immediate needs – 100% free of charge.

Each week, Doreen sorts through hundreds of donations of clothing and other items. She restocks and organizes the boutique, ensuring it remains a warm, welcoming place that meets all of our clients’ needs.

Doreen is also an invaluable source of help during the holiday season, when Sanctuary distributes thousands of gifts to our clients. Year after year, her time, dedication and organizational skills are an amazing gift to staff and clients alike.

“One of my favorite memories from volunteering was working with a client who was looking for a suit in The Butterfly Boutique,” says Doreen. “She had an important interview later that day and I was able to help her pick out an outfit that made her feel comfortable and confident. I also tailored the suit to fit her perfectly.”

The client was one of many to benefit from Doreen’s seamstress skills. Over the years, she has tailored suits for dozens of participants in Sanctuary’s Economic Empowerment Program.

Leah Chapman, Coordinator of Donated Goods for Clients, works closely with Doreen.

“Doreen is kind, loyal, enthusiastic and dedicated. She brings spirit and laughter with her wherever she goes and she never says no. She is always willing to come in and lend a helping hand,” Leah says.

“She has become a great friend to me, and I value her advice and opinion in all she does at Sanctuary.”

We are so grateful to Doreen for her incredible service, and look forward to honoring her at Pillars of Change on May 5, 2016.

You can join us at Pillars of Change by registering now. We hope to see you there!