“I love when we go to Pumpkin Moon and buy things with my allowance,” says 6 year-old Hephzibah foster child, Chance, of spending time with his Heartmate volunteer.
If you are looking for a way to really make a difference in your life and the life of others, it is never too late to make your New Year’s Resolution to commit to volunteering in 2020!
Hephzibah relies of the generous time and talent of more than 200 volunteers each year to truly make our programs and services for children and families the absolutely best they can be. We have a wide range of individual volunteer opportunities depending on age, availability and interest, and we host many group and corporate volunteer opportunities throughout the year as well.
Currently, we are looking for individuals – especially males – who are interested in mentoring a young child in our group home. Heartmates (adults 21+) make a long-term commitment to spend time once a week with a child living in Hephzibah’s Group Home playing games, doing art projects, riding bikes, going to the park and participating in community activities. Big Sibs are older teens (16-18 year olds) who are special friends and role models for a child in the group home. Big Sibs remain on-site with their “little sibs” and play games, help with homework, or play outdoors on a regular basis.
“Our kids have experienced many years of trauma and loss, as well as a significant absence of positive role models, so an essential component of the healing process is learning to trust,” explains Debbie Pontrelli, assistant director of Group Homes. “Our young boys especially need to see and experience healthy, consistent and positive relationships in order to develop those skills themselves. Our Heartmates and Big Sibs are the positive role models they need and with each interaction, they are helping the child learn to trust and bond with another person.”
“For me, one of the greatest things about being a Heartmate is that it keeps me young,” says Eric, a Heartmate for 8-year-old Sam. “We’re always playing or wrestling, swimming, playing basketball or riding bikes, and in the process of having fun, Sam is out in the community interacting with other kids and adults. He is learning, witnessing and experiencing so many things for the first time. One afternoon when we were riding bikes, Sam saw a group of boys playing baseball in the park and he asked if he could play with them. He had never played baseball before and he didn’t have a glove, but they welcomed him and he joined right in. It was a really special moment.”
Blake has been a Big Sib to 11-year-old Jerome for two years. “We have a blast just playing board games, UNO, Beyblade, and video games. Jerome has made me a better person and I hope I have done the same for him,” Blake says.
“Heartmates and Big Sibs are an essential component of the care we provide to each child in the group home,” explains Hannah Weigel, Volunteer Services Manager. “They are role models for the children and integral in helping them establish healthy, positive and trusting relationships.”
Other volunteer opportunities include Tech Mentors, Big Sibs, Therapeutic Mentors for foster children, Homework Helpers and more (See https://www.hephzibahhome.org/volunteer-with-us-covid-19/).
The next Volunteer Information Session is Monday, March 16, from 6-7 p.m. at the Group Home, 946 North Boulevard, Oak Park. To register, please contact Hannah Weigel, hweigel@hephzibahhome.org.
Upcoming Info Sessions