11-29-23 PTL - Flipbook - Page 16
16 A Special Advertising Section of Baltimore Sun Media Group | Wednesday, November 29, 2023
Volunteering, continued
from page 14
and following their interests.
Volunteers here are very involved. By
providing consistent weekly meetings, they
show that it is possible to trust another
person, to help the young person figure out
who they are and what they like after the
trauma is surmounted. This is part of the
treatment plan.
As they relate in the video, they
have their own money, their own bank
accounts, but it’s Gallagher Services that
helps them get, train for and keep their
jobs. It also assists them with a place to
live. Most important, it provides a safety
net, allowing them to be as independent
as possible and to thrive.
“The cornerstones of the program are
Person-Centered Planning and the mission and values of Catholic Charities,”
quotes Allison Stone, LMSW, director of
mission integration and engagement.
When you listen to Stone talking
about the adults served by Gallagher
Services, you start to understand why
Catholic Charities does such a good job
with all the populations it serves and
supports. She refers to these developmentally and intellectually disabled
adults as “our guests.” It confers upon
them respect and dignity despite their
need for assistance, something incredibly graceful and kind.
“We are always walking alongside
people and meet them where they are,”
says Stone. “Our job, our goal, is to
always provide care and services to
improve lives.”
One service offered through Gallagher
Services is supportive housing options,
living, working and being as independent
as possible. These homes also provide a
community.
“We just opened a brand-new facility
in Timonium,” says Stone, “that provides
a Meaningful Day Program for those with
developmental disabilities. People like
Kenice and Eileen can come and decide
how they want to spend their day, what
their goals and interests are, and how
we can help them reach those goals. It’s
a hub for people to gather. We’ve also
developed relationships with employers
so if they are interested in working, we
help train them and find them a position.
We find out what they want to do.
“This is one of many areas where
volunteers are so important. Because the
volunteers come from all walks of life,
they provide information on what they
like to do, what types of jobs exist, and
more about the world beyond what they
are familiar with. They also help them eat,
play board games and to get involved in
the day program. And because they are
local, they are a natural support in the
community.”
St. Vincent’s Villa
Maria Busko, volunteer services manager, talked about St. Vincent’s Villa. “It
is a residential treatment center for children, many of whom have experienced
real trauma. They often act out; however,
they are resilient, unbreakable, and we
focus on strengths so they can live up to
their potential.”
St. Vincent’s Villa’s programs are for
those between ages five and 13. “They
may be 12 years old in age, but due to
trauma are emotionally much younger,”
explains Busko. “Sometimes, these children suffered trauma as part of the foster
care system, being moved from home to
home, often five or six times. They can
lose their sense of self, who they are,
where they are. But in treatment we see
them grow and learn to manage their
lives.
The staff employs a trauma-informed
approach: something affected the children, so they evince stress and fear.
Here they work through trauma, acquire
coping skills and develop trusting relationships. The average stay is 11 months.
Often, volunteers act as mentors, drawing out a child’s gifts, delighting in them,
Volunteers
“This year is our centennial,” says
Stone. “Our roots are in orphanages dating
from the 1800s that nuns started, the true
genesis of Catholic Charities. We educate
people on the services we have available
to help them, that’s our starting point.
“We create a community between volunteers, guests and children we serve. Our
ability to create a relationship allows us to
have a greater impact across all the ways
we serve. Right now, our staff is stretched,
working one-on-one, mentoring those who
need assistance. We couldn’t do our work
without volunteers. They help in so many
ways.
“Every person can get involved.
Everyone has a place in our services. There
is something which is a perfect fit, a myriad
of ways for our volunteers to get involved.
We match our needs to their skills and
their time. Whatever they like to do, we can
accommodate them.
“The motivation to serve is rooted in
Catholic social justice,” Busko explains.
People come to us to help others, an equal
volunteer opportunity. And they come from
everywhere. Some are from businesses,
like Whiting-Turner or T. Rowe Price, and
commit to a service day as a group. Others
come with family members. Or they are
here on their own. We value all of them.”
With 80 programs all over the state,
visit the Catholic Charities’ Volunteer
Portal (https://cc-md.org/get-involved/volunteer/) where you can search volunteer
opportunities by keyword, by program or
the type of opportunity.
It’s now up to you…
No matter what you select, one of the
programs under the Catholic Charities
umbrella, or something with Project
PLASE, keep one thing in mind: your time
and your contribution will be appreciated
and valued. All that’s left is to make your
selection.