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Posted on May 06, 2011 10:56
Community Connections
Caring for Others – A Volunteer’s Specialty
BY PAM KETTERING
Yankton Area United Way
Published: Wednesday, May 4, 2011 10:52 PM CDT
Tuesday night at the Community Volunteer Celebration the 2010 Volunteers of the Year, Tom and Jane Gilmore, were announced. The Gilmores were recognized for their caring to others in need near and far. They build houses and ride bikes for our neighbors through Habitat For Humanity. They fill their vehicle and trailer to capacity with clothing, furniture and other supplies multiple times throughout the year to the Pine Ridge Reservation, plus much, much more.
There are multiple volunteer opportunities for you to care for others, too! Three of the agencies that receive financial support from United Way are featured. Consider if a volunteer position attracts your attention.
THE CENTER: How often do you talk to your aging mom or dad? Do you know what is in their medicine cabinet and are you aware of their finances? Are they able to pay their bills and if they have pets are they serving their dinner to their loyal companions? Caring for a parent is not just being there when they have health issues or to wish them a Happy Birthday. Due to the mobile society that we are, families are not always as close as we wish they could be.
The Center and Meals on Wheels program can help provide a little peace of mind that your parent is being checked on a regular basis. Staff and volunteers both monitor those whom attend the Center and the meals on wheels clients.
When Volunteers deliver meals each week, they know to expect the client will be ready for them with a smile. If there is not an answer and the door is locked, the volunteer calls the Center. We then call the family listed or neighbor and ask if they know the status of the client. Many times the client will have gone out for an appointment and forgot to call and cancel their meals for the day. These are the times we feel a sigh of relief, but this does not always happen. When we try to deliver a meal and there is no response, we must contact the appropriate family member or law enforcement for a welfare check.
For those families living alone, this daily contact for meals on wheels is a way to feel comfortable that your parent is okay. At the Center, we do call clients if they do not show up for an activity or do not attend on a regular basis to make sure they are OK. Flu season is normally a time of illness and many clients are out for a few days, so once again, we call them or send a neighbor for reassurance. Call 605-665-4685 Tammy Matuska, Center Director
LITERACY COUNCIL: Do you remember how it felt the first time you could write your own name? Now imagine how you would feel if you did that as an adult. The Yankton Area Literacy Council (YALC) helps make moments like that happen day after day through its work helping all ages of people improve their skills in reading, writing, English as a Second Language, math, and computer literacy.
Among the many YALC success stories is a Hispanic student who progressed from knowing almost no English to learning enough to earn a promotion at work. Another student has increased her abilities sufficiently to secure not one, but two, promotions, and is now able to pass the English testing needed to advance even further in her career and education. These everyday miracles occur because of the hard work of 37 tutors, paid with heartwarming smiles and the satisfaction of knowing they have enhanced someone’s life.
The YALC, founded in 1987 and incorporated in 1988, is a volunteer-based organization that promotes literacy programs in Yankton County and throughout the region. Its work is supported by United Way and community fundraisers, including the first annual “Spellebrate for a Good Cause” Scrabble tournament held in January.
A member of ProLiteracy America and the South Dakota Literacy Council, the group is overseen by a dedicated board of directors. Under their direction, the YALC improved tutor/student numbers by 54% in 2010. Still, the need continues. According to Coordinator Beverly Calvert, “We have two students awaiting instruction now and we don’t have any tutors available to help.” Call 605-665-3048
HOMELESS SHELTER: When a fire destroyed a local family's home, the Yankton Homeless Shelter provided them a place to stay. When a residence flooded and left a family without a place to stay, the Yankton Homeless Shelter became their temporary home. When a young man fled a difficult home life, the Yankton Homeless Shelter helped him build the support network he needed to get on his feet.
These are all examples of how the Yankton Homeless Shelter has carried out its mission in recent years to offer temporary shelter to homeless individuals and families, in a hospitable atmosphere. The shelter serves as a community outreach to individuals and families in need, regardless of sex, race or creed. The shelter was founded on the belief that everyone deserves a home.
Located at 304 W 4th Street, the shelter opened its doors in June 1995 and serves approximately 100 individuals each year. The house has three separate living quarters, with the ability to house 8-plus people plus a family. Each client is screened and informed of the shelter rules to ensure the safety of the staff and other occupants. The shelter is designed to house those in need of temporary housing while seeking employment; those who have found work but cannot afford the initial cost of housing, temporary shelter until individuals have saved money for permanent housing; and for those whose home has been damaged or destroyed.
The shelter is governed by a board of directors representing a wide range of interested organizations. The staff consists of a director and three overnight advocates. The goals of the board is to: Offer a facility for shelter, 7 nights a week, 365 days a year; make available kitchen facilities for clients to prepare meals; supply community resource information and referrals; furnish laundry facilities; establish an environment hospitality to help build self-esteem and human dignity; and provide an atmosphere in which no one feels threatened or intimidated. Funding is an ongoing priority of the board, enabling the shelter to function at a proper level. The shelter receives monthly donations from individuals and is a United Way agency. In addition, the shelter hosts two annual fund raising events each year, a golf tournament on Saturday, June 18, and the dunk tank at River Boat Days in August. For information on the golf tournament or the agency, call (605) 668-5205. Carol Pooler, Director
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