Creating Joyful Moments - Grace Helmcke connects volunteers and families at Mary's Place
As a Mary's Place Volunteer and Event Coordinator, Grace Helmcke loves creating volunteer opportunities that make joyful moments and create connections with our guests. From flower arranging classes and conversations in their native languages to welcoming princesses and meals served with a smile, Grace helps our volunteers share their skills, love, and support with families at Mary’s Place in a fun and meaningful way.
During her time at Mary’s Place, Grace has realized that the typical ideas many of us have about why people may experience homelessness are only the tip of the iceberg. “Many of these families are very similar to the family I grew up in,” says Grace, “and the reason my family did not become homeless isn’t because of anything we actively did, but because we had the good fortune of not having someone develop a life-threatening illness and having to choose between medical treatments and rent or finding ourselves having to flee our home due to an unsafe environment.” Grace shares that a highlight of her role is seeing volunteers connecting with their neighbors at Mary’s Place, learning from our staff about the causes of family homelessness, and helping to achieve Mary’s Place mission of ensuring no child sleeps outside in a hands-on way, one family at a time.
“We really value our volunteers at Mary’s Place,” says Grace, “They help us create a fun, positive space by connecting with our guests, and the work they do supports our staff so they can be the most effective at their jobs.” One of Grace’s favorite moments was watching a volunteer make a child’s dream of meeting his favorite princess come true! “Over the winter months, we had a family staying with us, and one of the little boys was all about one particular princess,” says Grace, “for our winter holiday celebration, one of our volunteers was able to come in dressed as that princess! Seeing that moment of joy for this little boy and his family was incredibly special.”
Grace has also been touched by the impact of volunteers who donate their time to speak with families in their native languages. “Having someone a family can communicate with without a translator is huge,” shares Grace “It makes our guests feel safer in the conversation, and these volunteers can explain things in a clear and culturally appropriate way, which builds trust.”
“I think the most rewarding thing about my job is that we, as Mary’s Place, staff and volunteers included, get to be that safe space where families can unwind and unpack whatever they need to unpack so that they can go on that journey of finding housing in a way that works for their family,” says Grace. “The parents at Mary’s Place are the driving force behind seeking safe, sustainable housing for their own families, and it’s been humbling and a blessing to be part of that process.”
There are many volunteer opportunities at Mary’s Place! From serving meals and supporting in-shelter events to helping us sort donations and build essentials kits, there’s something for everyone! If you want to join our team of incredible volunteers, click here to learn more!