Outstanding Volunteer Nominees

United Way celebrates the extraordinary volunteers who are doing more to make our community stronger. From preparing meals at a neighborhood food bank, to skipping lunch to read to kids at a pre-school, to organizing a beach cleanup, to contributing skills as a board member, graphic artist, or camp counselor, the range of voluntary efforts is immense. And so is the impact. A better community – it starts with you. And it often starts with volunteering. To highlight the range of extraordinary volunteers in our community, we asked local organizations to share stories of their exceptional volunteers, which can be found below. If you are looking for a specific volunteer, simply click on the letter for the last name of that volunteer.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

For the past three years every Wednesday Faridah takes the bus across town to bring her own special sunshine to the staff of Wellspring Family Services.  She walks across the busy street, up three flights of stairs, picks up the lap top she uses and settles down for a day of data entry.  Faridah's life story is filled with adventure and opportunity. Born in Malaysia she became one of her countries first women hired to do international marketing.  She produced films, published books and writes poetry.  For the past ten years Seattle has been her home.    Retired from paid work Faridah finds ways to keep her mind sharp by learning new computer skills.  While some might find data entry dreary work, Faridah knows she plays an important role in getting the word out to the public that no child should be homeless-- and that all children should have what they need to thrive.    Faridah is the 'face of Wellspring Family Services' who responds when someone visits our website and asks to be on the mailing list.  Faridah welcomed over 100 people to the Wellspring family by setting an account for them on the computer database.    Faridah is the 'face of Wellspring Family Services' that cleans up the hundreds of change of address notifications sent to us from the post office after a newsletter is sent to over 5,000 homes.    Faridah is the 'face of Wellspring Family Services' when people email asking about volunteer opportunities.  Each month Faridah responds to a dozen inquiries, enters their name in the database and send them an email with current volunteer openings.  Often Faridah includes a special message responding to their comments.  With out Faridah, Wellspring Family Services would be at a loss.  She brings her own brand of cheer to our support staff each Wednesday and welcomes hundreds newcomers who inquire about the mission of Wellspring Family Services through our website.

Farrell has assumed the thankless and uncompensated role of President of NAMI Washington.  In only a few short months, she has accomplished many huge projects and has rebuilt the network of trust between affiliates.  Farrell serves all of Washington with humor and charm and is an incredibly dedicated colleague.

Marisa has brought both we language expertise as well as her organizational skill to our organization.  She has taken the lead on coordinating our translation staff of eight other volunteers who are located all over the US.  She has coordinated the translation of many complex documents from Spanish to English and the other way around.  Most importantly, she helped produce a very important document that has been presented to the Governor of Oaxaca Mexico.

Dean has been a mentor for 3 years.  What sets Dean apart from other mentors is his willingness to support his mentee in many different ways.  Dean is able to provide support in talking about difficult topics and supports his mentee by attending sporting events at the school.  His mentee knows that Dean will support him unconditionally and CIS is lucky to have Dean as one of our volunteers.

Luz comes to us from the Foster Grandparents program.  She volunteers at our school in a 3rd grade class, assists in the school library, and helps with after school tutoring.  She is here 5 days a week.  It is a pleasure to have her at our school.

There isn't a more enthusiastic volunteer than Mr. Don!  As a retired pediatrician, Mr. Don, as he is called by the students, volunteers 2 mornings a week in 3rd and 4th grade.  He has a heart for the students and their education and he is most loved at our school.

Stephanie & Mike have worked tirelessly for many long hours 4 and 5 days a week.  Their commitment and dedication is unsurpassed. They will do what ever needs to be done and won't stop until the task is complete.   Serenity would not be the same without them!

Verginia, one of our most loyal and knowledgeable volunteers, has contributed over 5,000 hours of service at North Helpline. Verginia is an invaluable asset to all of our programs - our Food Bank and Emergency Services. Verginia helps to provide services ranging from eviction prevention, utility shut-off prevention, move-in assistance, handing out hygiene packs to our homeless, and providing counseling and referrals to our neighbors in need. In addition, Verginia had lead our bus ticket program for several years, and is particularly skilled in organizing and rationing out our sweets and breads that we distribute during food bank services. Each Friday, Verginia is here to check in each delivery truck, providing over 15,000 pounds of food, and checking to make sure that we receive every box of food ordered.  Verginia is also our lead volunteer trainer for our Emergency Services program and excels at being a very patient and helpful mentor. Each day, Verginia has always been the first volunteer to sign-in (about 5AM), and has provided unlimited contributions, time, effort and dedication to our organization.

Mark has been a wonderful and dedicated volunteer for New Beginnings by providing one of our most important services--our 24 Hour Help Line. Our Help Line is a resource for those affected by domestic violence and Mark provides a sensitive, calm and supportive ear to all those who reach out for support.

Linda serves on our board with fiery conviction and a passion for improved programming.  Her input is always well informed and thoughtful and she is an excellent resource for our agency.

John has provided an invaluable service to my Site Coordinators and the office staff by visiting each site to help keep get new participant information sheets updated. It is hard for my cooks to take time out of their busy lunch service to track down participants and go over paperwork with them. John is able to take this pressure off my cooks to get the job completed in a timely manner.

Connie contacted us to see how she could be involved during Random Acts of Kindness Week and has made coming in a weekly thing. She's kind and friendly and loves hanging out with our babies. Plus she's helping us with a really repetitive tally/counting project and we're actually making headway.

Kirk started out as an adult day health volunteer with our organization in 1994, where he assisted first in the kitchen and then in activity groups, helping elders and disabled adults improve their quality and enjoyment of life, freeing up staff to attend to clients' health and therapeutic goals.   In 2009, Kirk started a new position as an advocate with our ElderFriends program - where he makes regular reassurance calls to isolated elders who are waiting to be matched with friendly visitors.  He not only brightens the day of each person he talks with, but he also shares his positive energy with us in the office.  And Kirk has recently started visiting an elder friend in his community through the program, offering his friendship and support during weekly visits and outings in the neighborhood.

Lorna handles all used toy donations. She checks them to see that everything works and they have the necessary pieces, then sorts them by age group. Lorna assures that kids we serve have the toys they need.

Maryam is a fiery, passionate advocate for individuals with mental illness and serves on our board with conviction, thought and commitment.  She is a huge asset to NAMI Greater Seattle.

Led the association through a significant renewal and strategic planning process; continues to provide strategic leadership holding board members accountable and moving us forward.

Scott Boyer's generosity and thoughtfulness are displayed in his phone work on the crisis line and also in his dedicated participation in the phone worker trainer. For over five years Scott has participated in multiple role play sessions for each of our five annual phone worker trainings. He is leader among his peers and provides essential practice and feedback to nearly 80 new volunteers each year. Scott's integrity and non-judgmental nature makes him an outstanding mentor to new volunteers. He has contributed 2,428 volunteer hours and serves with grace, humor and dedication. Thank You Scott!

Sandee Brock is one of the most amazing volunteers with Outdoors for All!  She is on our Board of Directors, volunteer manages our Special Olympics Race Ski Team (SkiHawks), helps with fundraisers, donates food for our Annual Volunteer Party and Mountainfilm Festival in addition to helping out in other behind the scenes aspects.  When talking with Sandee you can see her love for Outdoors for All glow and why she is such an integral part of our program!

Virginia has been volunteering at our school, all day, 3 times a week.  She is the motherly grandma to all the students and a friend to all the staff and parents.  Virginia checks out books for students, shelves books and assists our librarian in many other ways.  We love her!

Sandy is the one person I can call on to do the mailings, stuffing and all other tedious office projects.  I'd be lost without her!

Richard joyfully shares his musical talents as a pianist and Wellspring's annual events. As a young person who has experienced what it's like to be homeless with his family, Richard has courageously shared his story with our donor audience and State Legislators in Olympia. His musical talent and determined goals in life are an inspiration to us all here at Wellspring.

Serves as chair of new committee, brings expertise from outside the early learning community, and developed our first fund development plan.

He has planned our events for the past two years, and has been a great asset to our agency.

In addition to being a fabulous Night Manager with a HUGE HEART for the women at Acres of Diamonds Elizabeth volunteers to do budgeting with each resident every month. This can be difficult because many of the residents are resistant to budgeting but she does it with kindness and respect.

Pat moved to Cristwood Park, our independent community with her husband Warren.  As soon as she arrived, she volunteered to teach a writing class: 'Telling Your Life Story' to fellow residents.  In this class, each resident is given the opportunity to write personal stories about past experiences and then read them to the entire class.  It has been a tremendous way to add value to not only our rich activity schedule, but more importantly for our residents to pass on the value of their living history to families and other residents.  Whether it is a story about catching squirrels or a tearful account of the loss of a loved one, a special bond is created between residents in the class, and in turn, the legacy of their story is passed on to loved ones in written form.  Because of the popularity of the class, she had to start a second one!  With the world changing around us everyday, she is now capturing these stories to use on a new developing blog for CRISTA Senior Living and friends, so that others can be blessed by the lives and stories of our residents.   Pat has and continues to be a rich contribution to our residency by volunteering to share her talent for teaching and more importantly, drawing out a rich legacy of personal value and history for our residents of CRISTA Senior Living

Glenda has been helping out with the education department every week for over 4 years. She knows the ins and outs of our education system, and has always worked hard to support the education director.

Stacy was only with us a brief time but was a wonderful asset while here. She always arrived with a smile and a very warm outgoing appeal. Scheduled only an hour a week, she often gave more of her time on those days. She read for the children who were always very excited to see her. She went above and beyond her reading and would spend her extra time with the children outside on the playground. We so appreciated the time she gave and would welcome her back anytime.

Jerry "knows" things like where the furnace was located and how to change the filters. Since he first came to a weekend work party he has been the one constant. He comes to the monthly work parties, brings his tools, expertise and has been successful in finding parts we need to fix things (like the drinking fountains).  It is wonderful to have a reliable, dependable volunteer that you know will show up at the appointed time and is willing to work on the current priorities.  Many thanks to you for supporting the kids of Renway!

Terri joined our Santa for Starlight program in 2009, keeping detailed and accurate records of multiple visits for quite a few Santas and elves.  Her help has enabled us to expand the program which raises funds and allows us to offer more services to Starlight families.

Mary Mac is one of our absolute best volunteers. She has a positive attitude, and it up for even the toughest tasks. She has helped a lot with our annual auction, other fundraising events, and also volunteers at our store.

Ed has empowered our students to change their lives.  His students are amazed by his array of teaching styles.  He has this innate ability to recognize when students are ready to take their GED examinations and pass their tests to obtain their GED certificates. The students are then able to have access to more opportunities to compete in the global market.

Ed is a great source of energy, knowledge, and experience to have at our Center and we are honored by the help that he had provided with countless education programs, whether teaching classes or leading walks!

Kim volunteers at our school all day on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He takes the ferry to our school from Bainbridge Island.  He established a sister school relationship with our school and a school in Nicaragua.  Kim volunteers in our classrooms as a tutor and is loved by the entire school!

Christy coordinates all group volunteering opportunities for Eastside Baby Corner as well as maintaining our volunteer website content. Her enthusiasm and outgoing personality make her a great success at this job.

She helps us so much by performing crucial tasks that might not get done if she weren't working with us.  Her work directly impacts the clients that we serve in a very meaningful way - helping them to achieve employment.

Andi is amazing!  She took a volunteer program that was struggling to keep and retain volunteers into a successful Program that trains and supports volunteers on a weekly basis.  Andi spends a lot of her free time meeting with new and potential volunteers, created a volunteer handbook, and has been a key person in our group's success.  We thank Andi for all of her hard work and contributions.  SHE IS AMAZING!

As a front office volunteer Julie has a lot of responsibility at Jubilee. Not only does she answer calls from homeless women seeking housing, help connect women in crisis with resources in the community, and schedule appointments in Jubilee's free clothing boutique, but she also greets and thanks donors and volunteers with sincerity and ease. The front office can at times be a hectic environment and Julie always manages to juggle it all and still have time to ask "Is there anything else I can help with'"

Our go to girl!  With a tremendous heart for the children and families Olive Crest serves, Kathy has dedicated countless hours to making sure our staff and clients are supported.  In addition to the phone calls, paper cutting, photo copying, and filing Kathy does on a weekly basis, Kathy has assisted with three major events for Olive Crest's clients: Foster Family Picnic ' secured funding and assisted day of with food and activities for the foster families, Backpack Drive ' coordinated, recruited, and distributed backpacks and supplies to all of our school-age foster children, Christmas Gifts ' coordinated and recruited donors to provide a gift to a foster child/family for Christmas.  In the midst of it all, Kathy hosted a cocktail party inviting friends and family to come learn about the great work Olive Crest is doing to help build strong families and keep kids safe.

Jennifer goes beyond expectations with her sincere care and patience with our students. She is one of our most reliable and consistent tutors, coming each week since she started in the fall of 2010. When she walks into the classroom, multiple students request her to be their tutor. Her knowledge of the required subjects and her ability to get the students to do their homework is a critical aspect of our program.

Connie can always be depended upon to not only come for her own shift, but also to fill in for us when others are ill or absent.  She quietly goes about her work, completing her tasks with high accuracy: tasks that improve the quality of library service to patrons.  She sees what needs to be done, and does it, without having to be asked.  When others need help, she steps in to guide them, showing her obvious care for all.  When I began at this location, she was recuperating from open heart surgery and we had not yet met.  Our work flow was scattered and difficult, although I did not know why.  After Connie returned to us, it became clear how much she was missed and that she was an integral member of our Monday morning team.  Recently, she's been filling two shifts so that we have the coverage we need until our location closes for remodeling in May. When contemplating people to nominate, Connie was the first person mentioned by staff.  It is with great pleasure that we nominate her for recognition.

Erin has a very special roll in our department. She not only comes in and helps with the day to day processes and is a wiz kid at reformatting various documents, and organization, but also comes and assists with our developmentally disabled adult group every Thursday night. This is not a responsibility that we give to just any volunteer, as one is expected to set up and prepare each and every week, but also gets to observe, interact and assist in their games and progress of these individuals. Erin holds a special place in our hearts as she is so caring, uplifting, and fun! If only everyone could experience what a pleasure it is to have such an amazing person in their environment!

It indeed sounds strange that one of the most valuable volunteers at the youth-serving nonprofit, New Futures, is a scientist. But in fact, Dr. Susan Hautala, a professor of Physical Oceanography at the University of Washington, has been an integral team member of New Futures for over 10 years, contributing her deep knowledge of statistics to the agency's program evaluation efforts. Dr. Hautala's mathematical expertise, outstanding teaching skills, and critical eye have been key to the creation and continued implementation of formal systems to measure the success and challenges of New Future's programs for children, youth, and immigrant families. Dr. Hautala has offered her services, about five hours each month, at no cost to the agency. She participates in the monthly self evaluation meeting, designs our evaluation tools, evaluates data, and provides strategic recommendations for our programs. Susan also co-presented at the first annual Community Center for Education Results conference, sponsored by the Seattle Foundation. Her data analysis has been used to educate funders and to demonstrate New Futures successful programs. Additionally, she has generously supported our efforts at our annual fundraiser each year by attending or serving as a table captain. You can read more about Susan at http://www.ocean.washington.edu/academics/spotlights/faculty_spotlight-SusanHautala.html

Despite his busy schedule with the Seattle Police Dept., Officer Haynes finds time to volunteer 2 times a week in a 4th grade class, assisting in math.  The students love Officer Haynes coming to their classroom to help in full uniform.  He has a warm heart and is someone the students all look up to!

Patti became a well-known presence at the "Passages" house as a kind, giving lady. She has been dedicated to making sure the residents in this program know she cares about them.   Once a week, she asks them what they would like to eat for dinner and she teaches them how to make that particular dish of choice. She has taken the residents and Programs Managers out to a  vegetarian and vegan dinner as a special treat and learning experience.  One of the favorite memories of Patti's continued dedication at YouthCare is when she hosted an etiquette-focused, fancy dinner at the Passages house. At this etiquette dinner, the youth dressed up, drank out of crystal goblets, learned about the big fork and the small fork, and felt as though they were all the guests of honor that night.   One youth has been quoted as saying "Patti is a saint." We appreciate Patti's sweet demeanor and constant willingness to go above and beyond.

Donna does excess of her duties as Secretary of the Board, as well as a volunteer in the office, She comes in at least 3 days a week, to help with new clients who need financial assistance. She also is a volunteer at the Nordic Museum, and does numerous things for her church, such as coordinating a feeding program for a month, at Central Lutheran Church.

 Earlean is here everyday with a positive attitude and smile.  It's good to have a consistent person at the front desk whom the community will see every time they come in.  She is friendly and professional.  She makes sure everyone feels important and she takes time to assist with their needs.  She is really good at outreach. She has gotten to know the returning community members who stop by for diapers and bread every week. The Auburn Family Resource Center looks and feels differently since Earlean has been here.

We would like to thank you for stepping in part way through the school year to fill an urgent need.  Thank you for your service to the Food To Go program and support of Communities In Schools of Auburn.   Food To Go is a weekend feeding program that sends a backpack of food home every Friday with students in need who have been identified by their school counselor. Through our partnership with the Auburn Food Bank and Community of Christ Church we are currently serving 240 in 12 schools.

John serves all of the NAMI affiliates in Washington with his tireless event planning and management.  As director for the annual NAMIWalk, John has exceeded all anticipated levels of performance in fund raising, organization and community involvement.  He is a committed and gifted leader and a joy to work with.

Karl was the go-to guy for all community donations made to YouthCare.  Karl sorted through used clothing donations, organized hygiene supplies, distributed non-perishable food, all with a smile on his face, a bounce in his step and sometimes a bead of sweat running down his face.  Often times we would have to convince Karl to leave at 5pm after a full day of sorting and organizing, but sometimes we weren't persuasive and Karl would convince us to let him stay 'just to finish up this one last project.'   Aside from the tremendous help Karl was in regard to managing the constant and at times overwhelming amount of donated items, he brought an enthusiasm and joy that was contagious.  He was also extremely thoughtful and kind to the other volunteers he worked with.  Karl was known to bring candy bars for the people he volunteered along side and would insist at points that they take a break and have a treat.  I can't begin to estimate the sheer poundage of 'stuff' that Karl helped to organize and distribute out to the youth in our programs, especially during the holiday season when the community generously purchased holiday gifts for the homeless and formerly homeless youth served through YouthCare's programs.

Belinda has been an exceptional volunteer with our organization. She has shown her dedication to our cause by working through the ranks from volunteer, to member, to now holding two officer positions. She is a consummate professional, and a shining example to all of our other volunteers and members. Belinda works tirelessly to provide the best atmosphere possible for our volunteers and members, and our rescue horses. Her compassion and leadership are a stellar example to all who have the privilege to work by her side. Her selflessness and dedication have been such a huge benefit to our group. We are so grateful to her for her fine, heartfelt work.

As any "business" we depend on computers & servers to connect us to the Internet, e-mail etc. communicating with our community and donors and remote field staff. As a non-profit we have mostly old hand-me-down PC equipment. Without Mike's three day a week bubblegum & bailing wire repairs we could not afford to keep our system running. I would estimate it would cost us $50,000 annually to hire someone or call the "Geek Squad" to do what Mike does - cheerfully and competently every week. Mike also assist us in evaluating new options for better use of technology helping us to operate more efficiently benefiting all who we serve.

Patrick is the Off Leash Steward for Plymouth Pillars Dog Park. Over the last 3 years we at Parks have developed a sincere respect and admiration for . Patrick.  We are amazed at Patrick's consistent, day after day devotion to, and stewardship of, the park. He is there every morning and evening interacting with dog owners, discussing development plans for the park and volunteer opportunities they may be interested in. He works with our staff, as well as other civic and non-profit organizations, on acquiring resources for park development, such as gravel, trees, maintenance services or other items that would increase park utility and end user's enjoyment (the dogs and their owners!). He reaches out to local businesses (for example Mud Bay and Starbucks) and partners with them on volunteer projects, such as flower seed planting days and other park improvement projects. He is devoted to building senses of community, inclusion, and safety around the Plymouth Pillars Park area. Without hesitation he watches over the park and respectfully asks any individuals not behaving properly to leave (I give the example of transient person drinking alcohol in public), thereby creating an environment where everyone feels welcome and comfortable, which is so vitally important in fostering and building a community. Mr. Jones does all of these things on a daily basis, never flinching. He does them happily and without asking anything in return. He does all of these things despite the physical hardships he endures daily, including dealing with cancer. He follows a personal motto of 'pay it forward' in his approach to the park, and in doing so he is not only making Seattle a better place now, but also providing a wonderful example to us and other citizens within the community of how we can actually make a difference for the better in our city (a belief that in many ways is fading these days).

Linda has provided professional-level bookkeeping services for Real Change, coming in twice a week to do our accounts payable, receivable, and filing. While it is easy for Real Change to find volunteers to do direct service, it is much harder to find volunteers able to work in positions that require a higher level of expertise and professionalism. Linda has systematized our bookkeeping operation, which was previously little more than "shoebox accounting." Moreover, she has taken it upon herself to generate ideas for increasing revenue from ad sales and manages existing ad contracts. Linda has saved our organizations thousands of dollars, money we have been able to put into serving our mission. And she does it all with patience, dedication, and a smile on her face. She is one of the unsung heroines of our organization.

This is Trent's 3rd school year as a mentor.  Trent's student is always excited to see him, not just because Trent is a great role model, but also because Trent is so much fun.  Trent has a natural way of putting a student at ease and building a friendship.  The school reports that Trent always has a smile on his face and provides a ton of support to his student.

Joe's day job is a Metro bus driver, but he still finds time to volunteer at our school!  Currently he tutors in a third grade class.  Joe has a heart for the students and they all enjoy having Joe's help!  It's an honor to have Joe at our school!

Veronica bravely serves as our board president, a role that is not without a significant amount of responsibility and frustration.  She is consistently patient and responsive and is an excellent representative of NAMI Greater Seattle to outside entities.

Debra has been involved with the Camelot Society through our Quality Assurance Committee.  Debra has also provided Camelot with insurance advise and has donated many items for our fundraising efforts.  We appreciate Debra's support.

Katie is an amazing volunteer who exceeds above and beyond our expectations for volunteer tutors. She frequently makes games and activities to supplement the curriculum and has a genuine connection with her students. When she is not busy tutoring she figures out other ways to help out the WRC. Katie is an asset to our team and the Dearborn Park community.

Kayleigh is always ready to lend a hand whenever we ask her to--whether it's leading a restoration work party, setting up for our fundraising brunch, or anything else we need. She goes to school and works, but she often volunteers to do things before we even ask! Kayleigh always has a smile on her face and I have never heard her complain, even after 4 hours of pulling blackberry in the rain. We are so lucky to have her!

Judy has a caring heart and tutors Monday mornings.  Over the years, she has tutored in 1st - 3rd grades.  She helps students one-on-one, and also assists the teachers.  It's great to have such a wonderful lady at our school!

Carol works tirelessly each year to secure sponsorship funding for our annual gala auction event held in the fall each year.  She has single-handedly brought in thousands of dollars that go to offsetting the cost of the event which brings much needed dollars to the agency to spend on services and resources for our client base.  Without Carol's efforts, the funding for our services would be significantly less.  Carol is a wonderful ambassador for DAWN in the community and opens many doors for us.

Murli is a generous board member who has served NAMI Greater Seattle for many years, including participation in organizing the annual NAMIWalk.  NAMI Greater Seattle is very grateful for his contributions and involvement.

Vimala brings to NAMI Greater Seattle her consistent and undying passion for service to individuals with mental illness.  She has served tirelessly for many years and has shared with the agency some of her many talents, including her incredible skills in graphic design.

Howard is always at his post at the scheduled time and always communicates with staff when he has something he needs to get the job done. Howard has recently stepped up to take the lead position for our data entry team. He is communicative, clear, energetic and treats everyone with the utmost respect. As a result, we have had multiple successes in getting the large duty of data entry maintained and up to date.

Genise came to our organization after responding to a posting for office support.  We didn't realize then just how lucky we were!  Genise has been a consistent help to our organization since that day.  She comes in every week and gets right to work.  If she misses a day, she even makes it up!  Genise is willing to do tricky new tasks or the ever-necessary big copy jobs.  The fact that she is hearing impaired has never affected her work or her commitment to children's literacy.  When you set up a project for Genise, you relax a little because you know it will get done!  We are very thankful for her and are happy to have her as part of our team.

Glenn has taken the initiative to willing organize our volunteer process and procedures. Glenn has helped out with volunteer recruitment/outreach, he sends out a quarterly volunteer newsletter to our community. Glenn is truly a team player and he has been acknowledged more than a few time for all his hard work by his co-workers. Also it also helps that Glenn brings his pleasant attitude and willingness to always support other staff members and participants.

Nancy has served as Board Secretary and also on our Advisory Board.  She has been a tireless advocate of our services, especially those regarding our clients with Prader-Willi Syndrome. Nancy has participated in several committees and is currently a member of our Quality Assurance Committee.  We appreciate Nancy's endless support of our mission.

Cynthia is such an amazing volunteer. She is a huge blessing to this organization. Her service if extremely valuable and we are lucky to have her with us.

Vilma has been with the Filipino Community of Seattle board for 15 years and also served as a board member for the International Drop-In Center, our Senior Center for 6 years. She devotes  15 hours a week of her precious time volunteering at the Filipino Comm. Center--she's at the front desk as our receptionist and our office assistant. She volunteers during our lunch programs serving lunches, food bank helper, etc. She coordinates events like our annual Christmas Family party. She is very committed in serving our community so when she is called to take care of some things, she does not say no. She is also the president of the Filipino American Widows of Washington and as one, she makes sure that our widows never get lonely by organizing activities that promote their mental and emotional and physical well being like field trips, retreats and casino trips sometimes. Vilma is a very dependable volunteer. She is also an excellent newspaper columnist and she has a monthly column in one of our local Fil-Am newspapers, the Filipino American Herald. She is an outstanding volunteer. She is a mother to our youths who frequent our community center. She is a very positive influence to a lot of us. I consider her my second Mom at the Filipino Community Center.

Drew is an incredibly talented IT professional who has provided hours of help to NAMI Greater Seattle.  Without his patient assistance, our server system and website would not be functional.  We are so grateful to Drew for his kindness and generosity.

Missy exudes compassion and dedication when it comes to helping our neighbors in need. As a food bank, we are open three days a week and serve over 800 families each week. And for the past 3 years, Missy has been here every week, if not twice or more. She is always excited to help and learn new ways to give back. Currently, Missy is training on registering new clients at the food bank, and continues to excel at customer service and helping each individual with attention and compassion.

Tania has been the organizational genius behind two summer garden party fundraisers.  She has created to-do list spreadsheets, procured food donations, recruited people to help set-up and clean up, and been a cheerful presence with an excellent sense of humor  We are not natural fundraisers in our program, but Tania exudes confidence and helps us become comfortable asking people for money.   Tania has committed to helping us coordinate a garden party again (for the third year in a row!), and we are so grateful for her commitment to our program.

Tom is a one of a kind volunteer. In less than two years, he has touched almost every volunteer facet of our organization. Tom served as an amazing Rise n' Shine mentor, joining the various volunteers providing support to children and teens affected by HIV/AIDS. Tom had previous experience mentoring youth in a refugee program and extensive experience working in the education field. As a mentor, Tom immersed himself in the family with one purpose: to enrich a child's life.  After only six months of mentoring, his teenage match turned his grades around, organized his life and redirected his ambitions in a positive direction.  Tom is caring, committed, patient and fun. In other words, he truly embodies all the characteristics defining a Rise n' Shine mentor. Unfortunately, Tom's mentee's family moved away this past winter and of course, Tom was invaluable in helping his mentee prepare for the transition. Tom and his mentee are now in touch via email and phone.  Many other volunteer mentors might have given up on the relationship, not Tom!   Above and beyond this incredible relationship and stability he was able to offer through mentoring, Tom has been an invaluable volunteer for our organization. Tom assists with office work every Tuesday and Thursday morning and he is such a pleasure to have since he is so dependable to get the work done.  He has also worked at a number of Rise n Shine fundraising and children's events in any capacity needed.   Tom is truly someone we can all count on, whatever the need may be.  In the process, he has become someone truly loved and treasured by our staff, children and volunteers.  Rise n' Shine is so lucky to have the best of the best!

Nuansi is a vital part of our Development and Publication teams!  Our Publications Manager has a variable schedule that includes a great deal of travel and remote working, and Nuansi's presence and hard work with the staff as made a unique situation work.  She also brings a lovely smile, enthusiasm and a fresh perspective that cheers us all!

Gorm brings to NAMI Greater Seattle an unflagging dedication to the agency and a desire to enhance what we do to serve others.  He is incredibly committed, dependable and generous with his time and efforts.

Heather is a volunteer who has kept the YMCA senior lunch program going for many years. She does all of the paperwork and organizing in a timely and efficient manner and stays in close contact with downtown staff. The YMCA lunch program would most likely not exist if it weren't for her dedication and hard work.

Carmen is amazing! In her short time here she has become a trusted member of our Food Bank, learned how to complete our reports, forms, and the general organization required for day-to-day operations. She is always willing to take on new tasks, and has recently become our Front Desk intact person for the community Resource Center. Helping refer people that come to us for services we do not currently offer, and taking on administrative assignments from various program employees. She's friendly, dependable, and competent. We love working with her!

Ron is a 73 years old volunteer.  He suffered a back injury in WWII and was told he would never walk again.  He does the feedings and paddock cleaning over our 10 acre farm a couple of days a week.   He never complains and never misses a day.  He is a wonderful man that is willing to do what it takes to get things done.  He purchases gas for the tractor and any other little things that we need without asking.  He is truly our hero :)

The impact Elizabeth Park has had on the Family Law CASA program and the children and families we serve is immeasurable. Not only was she one of the founding board members of the organization, saving the program from near extinction when the program was cut in the 2001 King County Budget cuts, she has also maintained 2-3 cases at a time each year - completing at least 15 cases, and providing a voice for 20-25 children enduring the hardships of contested custody cases.  Family Law CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) advocates for children in some of King County's toughest contested custody cases so they have the best chance possible for a safer, more secure home life. We do this by utilizing volunteer advocates from all walks of life, who are trained and advised by our staff. Our volunteers are extraordinary - dedicating 6 months or more and over 60 hours to each case. Of our incredible, passionate, and caring volunteers - Elizabeth is among the elite. She has an inspiring capacity for compassion and empathy, and is unwavering in her commitment to children in need. Our cases often involve parents dealing with drug abuse, domestic violence and untreated mental illness. They are often so immersed in conflict with one another, that the child and his or her needs become lost. The cases are hard, certainly not for the weak at heart, and the children need help. Our advocates provide a voice and thoroughly investigate the household, interviewing the child, family, and anyone with insight and then compile the information into a written report with recommendations to the court. The advocates then testify at trial, shielding the child from having to choose between their parents, or publicly having to state what they've endured. Elizabeth uses her astute analytical skills and her tenacity to uncover every relevant factor in every single case. She is fair, objective and truly understands that her recommendations will shape the life of the child. Advocates can find this work emotionally, mentally, and physically taxing. Elizabeth puts her own needs aside, knowing that there are countless children that desperately need a voice; she puts every ounce of her energy and heart into her cases.   Every nonprofit has volunteers that help and serve the organization. Elizabeth goes beyond this - she embodies our mission and has improved our community by treating the children and families in her cases with the respect, dignity and care that she would treat her own. To say she deserves recognition would be an understatement, and to say thank you could never be enough. She is worthy of our admiration and our respect ' and every one of us at Family Law CASA appreciates her contribution more than she could ever know.

Amanda's consistent dedication to volunteering at the Maple Valley Library has created a positive link between teens, our staff, and the community.

MEOW Cat Rescue operates almost entirely on volunteer power. Kathy has served for several years as our Volunteer Coordinator and has done so as a volunteer herself. She not only makes sure that our shelter is always properly staffed but she also volunteers as a foster home, with an affinity for the handicapped and special needs cats and kittens. Kathy and husband Bob have their own special needs pets and still have plenty of love to give to the MEOW foster kitties. We're so grateful that Kathy gives of her time and talent as MEOW Cat Rescue Volunteer Coordinator.

Carl has been a huge impact supporting children's literacy development. He comes with enthusiasm  each week to read to several small groups of children. The children look forward to Carl's visit and eagerly volunteer to be read to. As Carl reads to the children he extends their learning by asking them questions on what they are reading and he listens intently to their answers. Carl has given these children the very basics of literacy development and that is the enjoyment of reading. We are so very happy to have Carl !

3 days per week Debbie meets Omar at our after-school program to work on homework, practice reading, and developing writing skills to succeed next year in his move to the high school. Our tutors are encouraged to spend a few hours per week helping our refugee youth students, but Debbie exceeds all expectations by spending 3 days per week with mentoring a student in need.

Janet is a can do person who makes the organization run smoothly with all the info needed re our financial information. She puts all the figures together. Makes financial reports, does the very long 990 which anyone can attest to is not easy. She works with our accountant to provide up to the day info needed re the financial workings of this organization. I could not do what I do without her. She takes so much pressure off of me by doing what she does. She is amazing!

Mark is has been volunteering with us many years and is very valuable to our organization.  He has helped so many people help to be able to express themselves and gave them hope.  He is a delightful person to work alongside and we cannot appreciate the work he does enough!

Theresa Roberts (Ret) Sgt Maj is one of the most organized people I know. She does the most outstanding job of bringing a large number of volunteers together for all of our events. We have so much going on and I could never run this organization with out her. Our volunteers love her and she makes everyone feel special and appreciated. She also helps with me by handling some of the email traffic for events. Her military knowledge is also invaluable for what we do. She has a great attitude and continually has great ideas.

Randy is amazing!! He has volunteered with El Centro de la Raza for several years now, providing steady support, a friendly face, and dedication to El Centro de la Raza in our Hot Meal program and at our Front Desk in our Human Services Department.  Randy is a vital part of the El Centro Community.  We are so glad to have you volunteering with us, Randy!  Mil gracias for all of your hard work!!!

basically this volunteer is doing very outstanding job in our Community. when Muktar Sado joined our Oromo Cultural Center we were at zero level. We did not have any money in our account and we used to collect very little donation and we were not able to pay our monthly rent. Some time we were unable to pay rent for couple of months. Under Muktars leadership skills we are able to pay our rent and also very amazingly we are able to purchase our own building with 1.5 million dollars. Muktar organized the community to stand up and do what they can do to help the community. The first step he set was making fundraising events, secondly finding  a agency that can help us in financing. He worked hard, day and night tirelessly to get this job done. finally Muktar Sado talked with Rainier Valley community development to finance our new community center and the Rainier Valley community development convinced by Muktar Sado leadership and skill and agree to finance out new community center called Oromo Cultural Center with 1.0 million dollars for 7 years. Now we have our own center  located on 8819 Renton Ave south Seattle, WA 98118.since he joined this organization we are very organized in every thing. We have every thing that the nonprofit organization needs to serve their people. We are financially stabled, financially organized in terms of spending, managing our income. Because of Muktar's extra abilities we have what we would not have. Muktar Sado works for University of Washington full time. He goes to school full time and he got family responsibilities. He got 7 children and wife and they are very happy family. Muktar  overpass any body  that any one can possibly nominate. so I highly request your benevolent agency to recognized Muktar Sado for out standing work he has been doing to help peoples and community in at large. He is volunteered  40 and more hours at the community and never get paid.

It is a delightful encounter every time that we see Mr. Schott here.  He is always so cheerful and friendly, and has great stories to tell about life and the library.  He is extremely dedicated and his enthusiasm for the library is so evident.  He has assisted in many different roles throughout his 17+ years at the library, and he currently comes into the library several times a week to assist with processing and boxing of donated items for the Library Book sale.  He has even told us that we can call him in between his days here to let him know if we have a lot of items stacking up and that he would be happy to come in additional days.

Ann is a generous and thoughtful board member who consistently works to link NAMI Greater Seattle with helpful resources.  She serves with much conviction and passion.

Kathy is in one word AMAZING! For the last 16 years she has selflessly and diligently devoted time to our food bank each day we are open!  What I love about Kathy is her attention to detail.  Time and again I have seen Kathy remember little tid bits about a client or volunteer and surprise them with a gift.   Kathy reminds me to be more giving.  That charity starts in your own heart and there is no gesture to small.

Gerry in a generous and thoughtful board member who serves NAMI Greater Seattle out of a deep commitment to mental health issues.  His enthusiasm and charisma help move our agency forward and he is an excellent representative of the agency to outside entities.

Being present in the hour of need. Rick's knowledge of his life's work and ability to work with others makes him a valuable partner in our organization.

Esther has served as a valuable team player with AEHAP. She has spent time outside of the office collecting valuable data and completing extensive research projects. We appreciate the time and effort she has dedicated to us. You're awesome Esther! Thank you!!

Jim Truitt is one of our most valued volunteers. He volunteers at our North Seattle adult day health center, and his passion for Full Life Care is apparent and contagious. Jim is proactive and generous. When he thought the program would benefit from a Nintendo Wii, Jim recruited a friend to split the cost of a new TV and Wii system. Despite his busy schedule, Jim makes volunteering a priority, program participants even ask about him if he is not around. Jim has made a real impact at this center, and we feel lucky he found us. Jim's positive attitude and genuine caring for others is a gift we all appreciate!

Deshawn is so much more than a member and volunteer staff at the YMCA.  He's a warm and welcoming part of the community we try so hard to build here.  He's about inclusion and social responsibility.

Elmer oversees all the correspondence that comes from our overseas orphanages, reads it over to confirm its appropriateness, then forwards it on with a note to the sponsor of a child at the orphanage.  This is a crucial role in keeping donors connected with the agency, and the mission.  He makes sure the sponsor knows the concrete difference they are making in a child's life.  Elmer speaks several languages.  His skills are invaluable to an international adoption agency.  He brings a deep love for children, and depths of multi-cultural experience.  He is very conscientious, and comes all the way from Olympia to Renton every week.  Elmer rocks!

Bill and Ellen Wanless are two very dedicated individuals here at South Seattle Community College. Their work is  essential to our mission at the Arboretum. Their involvement has been a shot in the arm for our institution, lending it much credibility and professionalism. We are perennially grateful for the generous sharing of their time and talents.

Swinny helps our clients with hands on activities such as gardening and art.  She enjoys walking with them and talking and is very friendly.  Everyone looks forward to her on Tuesdays.  She sometimes brings her dog to visit, and often brings in donations.  She is very helpful and much appreciated.

Deb West has been volunteering with Page Ahead for about two years. From day one she demonstrated her dedication and made a two year commitment to us.  Although she started out doing data entry, a job she truly enjoys, Deb was open to taking on more responsibility. She is now in charge of maintaining the organization-wide database, making her work critical to the quality of data that we are able to produce. In addition to her data work, she has pitched in with other projects and events such as our annual luncheon fundraiser.  Deb is very diligent and thoughtful in her work, and is a true asset to our organization. We are so happy to have her here that we try to lure her into coming back week after week by keeping a drawer full of her favorite chips!

For serving two Friday nights a month in  the rain and snow in order to serve & to bring change in hearts of young men involved in pimping

Because of Chris, we have a new fence built, a crumbling retaining wall removed and a new landscaping wall installed.  Chris led teams of volunteers to complete these tasks.

Jenn is wonderful at recruiting people to be part of this organization. She is upbeat, and positive. She also manages our fund raising events which takes a lot of work. She is continually coming up with new and great ideas. She also is gifted in administrative work and helps me with that. She does so much for the organization. She has a great attitude and works tirelessly.

Janey  truly embodies the mission of our ElderFriends program, to relieve isolation for isolated older adults who lack social support.  She was connected with her elder friend Helena almost 10 years ago.  The pair formed a true friendship over the years through nearly weekly visits and phone calls.  Along with Janey's husband, Don, they developed holiday traditions that included spending celebrating Thanksgiving together (sometimes volunteering to deliver meals to others together) ,setting up Helena's Christmas tree....and ceremoniously taking it back down in January.  Janey was present when Helena became a US citizen at age 86 and Janey and Helena even took a mini-vacation together to a lakeside cabin in the Olympic Mountains several years ago!  In addition to offering a supportive friendship, Janey provided Helena with support she needed to continue living alone:  she helped her get groceries, pick up prescriptions, visit the library,  get to the bank, and occasionally did a few dishes.  In the past few years, these assistive activities increased along with Helena's needs, so Janey advocated for  additional community resources for her.  And recently, when Helena could no longer live alone, Janey and another of Helena's friends helped her find a new place to live in a supported environment that feels like home to her.  We are so thankful for Janey.  Her friendship with Helena is an inspirational example of how Full Life Care helps people be supported in the community rather than living in isolation or having to resort to institutional care.

Jackie has been an outstanding volunteer on our phone desk taking appointments from our clients for the clothing bank, food, or financial needs they may have.  Since  considerate of each client and works well with the other volunteers. She is very knowledgeable about our neighborhood, so is able to give out good information as needed.

Lucy brings to NAMI Greater Seattle not only her incredible talents as a graphic designer, but an unflagging passion to enhance how our agency works.  She jumps into the responsibilities she assumes with both feet and is extremely committed, reliable, and positive.  Without Lucy, we would not be where we are today.

Lea founded Justice Works! to help people impacted by the WA State criminal justice system.  She has kept the organization running for over 10 years and has never gotten a salary.  Her financial stewardship, integrity, and passion has made JW! one of the most well respected social justice organizations in the state.  She has helped make our communities safer by helping people who society (and sometimes their own families) has cast off by keeping them connected to their own humanity while incarcerated in inhumane conditions.