After first volunteering together at a
Christmas Eve meal service at our Bannon Street Shelter, Francis and Cynthia Arnaiz
became regulars at the Winter Shelter.

‘Blessed for the opportunity’

Though our name often leads the general public to believe Volunteers of America is an organization comprised solely of volunteers, Volunteers of America is managed and staffed by well-trained professionals.

Volunteers, however, have always been an important component in our mission to reach and uplift all people.

Did we say "important"? Volunteers of America volunteers are invaluable in helping us go that extra mile for our clients – from sprucing up apartment interiors with fresh coats of paint to providing a respite from a day of standing in line by waiting on tables during meal services at one of our shelters for the homeless.

The following comments were received from volunteers following their participation in a wide range of volunteer activities – from an arts-and-crafts workshop for children at our transitional housing facility for women and children, to an evening meal service at the Winter Shelter.

Please see our current volunteer opportunities listings for information on how you can help. To see photographs of recent volunteer activities, please see our Volunteers in action page.

For more information on how you can volunteer, contact Kim Castaneda at kimc@voa-sac.org.

My son Adam (now 20 years old) and I volunteered at the (overflow) Cal Expo shelter this past winter. We served food and set up and cleaned up. It was a very eye-opening experience for Adam, coming from a more privileged background. The whole experience taught him a lot of compassion for many others. I think it also helped him focus his attention on what is important in his life and to take advantage of opportunities presented to him (particularly with school).

– Dan Tschannen

It was my pleasure to have had the opportunity be part of the Winter Shelter. I had a wonderful time. The clients were just awesome. I had the opportunity to talk and mingle with a few of them and they are really good people. When I was clearing their plates from the table they were all very courteous, saying "thank you." It was a very fulfilling experience. I enjoyed it a lot.

– Diana Gonzalez

Thank you for the tour on Wednesday. I was very impressed with the (Winter Shelter) and all that you do. It was almost hard to believe that I was in a "homeless shelter" – it felt more like a home or a college dorm. You’ve done wonders to make people feel comfortable, and treat them with dignity. The condition of the facility really shows respect for the homeless.

– Debbie Slupianek

I just wanted to take a moment to tell you how much my family and I enjoyed the tour of the shelter last Saturday, as well as our time serving in the shelter later that evening.  As a matter of fact, we are scheduled to help out once again and are really looking forward to it.
 
Volunteers of America is an amazing organization and the work you all do is so admirable. My family and I feel quite fortunate to be able to say that we are a very small part of it. Thank you so much for giving us that opportunity!

– Kelley McDonald

I wanted to say how much I enjoyed the time I spent at the shelter. The efforts of Volunteers of America are as admirable as the need is great. I listened to the stories (of the clients) and I recognized how great the need is for assistance. I pray that each person who is touched by the efforts receive all they require. I know as a society we need to make substantial changes, so that we truly do not leave anyone behind. Please let me know if I can be of any assistance in the future. God bless.

– Vanessa Jackson

I really like the people we serve there.  They were so thankful for the help, and the extra cookies I gave them!

– Evan Buttz

The very first time we volunteered, I think (my son Evan) was reluctant, because it sounded like work. But when he saw the fun we could have, and the chance for us to work on something together, he warmed up to it. Now, any time I say we’re going to volunteer, he’s all for it. It is much more enjoyable to volunteer with my son. The chance to provide him with the life experience, and for the two of us to share it, makes it much more valuable. I can’t think of anything more valuable for a family to do together than to give to others.

– John Buttz

(My husband) Andy and I both enjoyed helping out and look forward to doing it again sometime. We were both impressed with the program and how well run it is. I found the clients overall to be very polite and seemed very grateful for the food and service. … We were surprised at the demographic range of clients you serve and how some don’t "look" homeless. It made us realize that you can’t always tell somebody’s situation by the way they dress. It also made us realize how much we take for granted.

I guess the only drawback is the difficulty in finding time to do this on weekdays (we both work and have two children), but hopefully now that you are going to start doing this on weekends, too, we can participate more often.

It is important for us to think "outside the family," and share something of ourselves with the community. We feel this not only helps people who are less fortunate, but it helps us – as a family – to be grateful for the things we have and focus less on the things we want.

– Leticia “Leti” Page

The experience was very gratifying and humbling. I was pleased with how polite and appreciative the guests were. I look forward to coming again.

– Jean Trotter

Wow, what a pleasant surprise! My husband and I were so happy to see what a nice place the Winter Shelter is. It has such a warm and welcoming feeling that seemed to help the spirits of the people staying there. While serving dinner, we had a great time talking with all of the clients and were touched to see so many smiling and laughing people. It was a great experience that we plan on having many times!

– Rachel Arendt

(My partner) Eric and I are both truly grateful for having been able to help out Saturday. We both hope that there will be many more opportunities in the future for us to serve the community. Building rapport with the clients was an easy task. It is unfortunate that homeless people carry such a negative stigma coming from certain members of society. Homeless people, or anyone who is less fortunate than others, are human beings just like the rest of us. Their feelings are no more or no less important than anyone else’s.

Eric and I were both surprised after our tour at how well kept the Winter Shelter is. There have been times when I have wanted to volunteer (at other shelters), but was deterred by the state of the facility. Generally, people like to eat at clean facilities, and always take that extra step to observe the inspector’s report before entering a restaurant. So why is it that most of us feel that homeless people deserve less?

Just as you mentioned in your e-mail, getting them off their feet and fed is a priority, but the human contact and interest in the client’s well-being is just as important. I hope the Winter Shelter will continue to serve the homeless community in the humble and respectable way that every human being deserves.

Eric and I both admired the spirit that was amongst the clients that night.  Though their predicament is hard, they not once showed any bitterness. The rapport they had with one another was outstanding. For the most part, these were strangers, but the way they spoke to one another, and the way they carried themselves left us both in admiration. We are hoping that one day, we will be able to have that same rapport with the clients in order to learn about who they are as individuals; to know their stories. It is so rewarding to be able to not just serve another person, but to know the person you are serving. I remember Constance and the warm smile she gave me. I will forever remember her love for water. I will remember the gentleman who asked me “what” I am because I reminded him of his daughter, who is mixed with Vietnamese.

It is enriching for couples and families to serve together. I believe that when you serve others, even during the hard times in your life, your troubles may not disappear, but will somehow miraculously appear minimal. Eric and I, just like other couples, will have days when we will not like each other very much, but heartwarming moments such as last Saturday night will help us remember the love that exist in the world; a love that so many people overlook because they are too scared to reach out and embrace it.  And the memories will help us overcome whatever obstacle we encounter. Thank you once again.

– Phanh Maksong

It’s not us who deserve credit. The focus should be on the Trinity: God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit who are working through us to help those in need. That means the homeless, our children, other volunteers, your staff, etc. We hope that the Holy Spirit is working through us to reach out to as many people as possible to bring them to know the Lord. This is how we have found true peace in our lives. We believe this is what so many in our community are missing. Unfortunately, they are looking in all the wrong places. We hope our service reaches many people. We’ll be happy if even one person comes to know the Lord as we know him. We may never know how the Holy Spirit has touched someone through us. Or, we may not find out until years from now. We don’t need to know either. We have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ that He is using us in our daily lives. If you write about us you make sure to give God the credit. Indicate the ways you see he has used us but please keep the focus on Him. Without Him, (my wife) Julie and I may be in the same circumstances as some of your clients. Or worse.

– Shane Cornatzer

We are truly blessed and happy to serve Jesus through Volunteers of America. We hope our participation in Volunteers of America will inspire others to reach out and serve as we do. Not as an obligation, but as joyful servants. My time serving was great. I really like the way you do things and focus on the people, not the tasks.

– David Pepsny

We had a wonderful time and look forward to more service … my daughter can hardly wait to return.

I believe that serving others is a blessing that we are given and allowed to give; humility is ours when we honor others with service. Volunteering reminds my children how fortunate they really are and for them, this reality check puts their “problems” in proper perspective.

I am honored that my daughter wanted to join us to serve and it was a great opportunity to interact with and make other people smile and laugh. We had such a great time and everyone was very respectful and nice.

I would absolutely recommend the experience to other families because you really get a sense of positive community participation in this event; you get to serve others who are extremely grateful; you get to help other people forget about the “bad” stuff and smile or laugh in a wonderful, clean environment even if it is only for a little while and although it may sound self-serving, being able to volunteer (at the Winter Shelter) has made me feel as if I am contributing something significant, and that my actions mattered to someone else. Even if it was just serving a few plates of food, I did something for them that helped them and it freed up another volunteer do contribute in some other way.

– Terri Collentine

I am really looking forward to working with you again.  I truly enjoyed my experience and learned a lot more about what Volunteers of America has to offer.  Thank you for giving me an opportunity to do something significant.  I really like the fact that by me doing something as simple as pouring drinks and talking/joking with people (like that was difficult for me!) can perhaps leave a positive impression on someone who is less fortunate than myself and let them have an enjoyable evening.

– Katy Vales

I find it very fulfilling in helping out the less fortunate in our midst. Serving them their meals, which is really not a big effort in our part, and talking to a few of the clients, makes me realize that these are persons who are just like any one of us, our circumstances being the only difference. I truly feel that we, the “servers” are really the ones who need to be thankful and feel blessed for the opportunity to do this small act of service. The staff and the facilities are great.  Cynthia and I have already committed ourselves to volunteer on a regular basis.

– Francis Arnaiz

It was certainly an honor and a pleasure to help out serving meals for my first time.  First off, there was a sense of camaraderie among the volunteers that helped set the tone, and then of course the actual process of serving was very special. I watched in awe as the folks came to sit down for their meal and I felt very humble being able to serve them. All the folks I served seemed grateful for the meals and polite. The meal serving went by quickly and when it was time to go home, I felt that I had made a difference in some small way for some folks who were much more than just anonymous faces, but were individuals in need who I had been able to donate a little time and effort to helping out in a tangible way. I look forward to helping serve meals again soon.

– Gary Reiner

I thought the shelter is wonderful. I love the fact that it’s very clean and comfortable. I think that gives a lot of sense of respect to the homeless, which they deserve. I also learned some interesting facts, like the two main reasons for homelessness, which were addiction or mental illness. I thought it was more of a financial issue.

Also, being a mother of two wonderful children, I empathize with the mothers that go to the shelter with their kids. I couldn’t imagine a life on the streets for my kids. But then again, who could?

I really want to help. Everyone deserves to hope to be able to live a better life. No one deserves to live on the streets!

– Catherine Gillet

Oh, and I loved the shelter ... (my friend) Brittny said she liked it ... and I think (my friend) Sharon’s first impression was that she liked it. And  we all really like what you guys are doing for the less fortunate.

– Ann Phan

  

Everyone was pleasant & what a great team! Thank you so much! Your program is by far one of the best that I have been involved with.

I had a ball! Everyone was very friendly and your plan of action was clear and precise! The guests were pleasant and mannerly. I will definitely be back. Thank you for having me!

– Stephanie M. Graham

I heard nothing but positive feedback from the clients. I look forward to being scheduled to work.

– Jack H. Howe

It was great to meet you and the others on Tuesday. Definitely time well spent. 

– Kathi Burns

It was a wonderful experience serving dinner to the residents at the Winter Shelter yesterday. Again, thank you for giving me and my husband the chance to do this. I’d like to mention that Elaina gave us a very warm welcome upon arrival. All you wonderful people made this experience a really pleasant one. Also, I was sharing with my co-workers the wonderful experience we had at the shelter.

– Cynthia Arnaiz

Brandon and I had a great experience our first night volunteering at the shelter. Thank you for giving us this opportunity.

– Jim Evans

Thank you for the opportunity to help out. The girls really liked it and are excited about coming back.

When (my daughter) Erin was a couple of weeks old, we were having money issues and Erin’s dad lost his job and we ended up in a homeless shelter for families.  I have talked to her about it a couple of times, but I wanted her to see first hand that not everyone may be as lucky as she is at the moment, and that  just because you may be in a certain situation doesn’t make you a bad person or  mean you have to stay in that situation.

– Dawn Cornell

It was a wonderful experience serving the men and women of the shelter. They truly appreciated the experience, being served at the tables instead of waiting in line. The thank yous that we received were very sincere and heart warming.

The shelter itself is a wonderful habitat for these people. What I thought about as we were working is some of these people could have been in my position last year, lost their job in 2007 and now have no place to go. Only one day could make a difference between them and me. To think that if these people tomorrow don’t sign up fast enough they may be out on the street instead of in a warm bed. You are doing a great job and one that is needed very much.

Thank you for the experience.

– Diane Sindt

 

It felt good to have my family want to be involved.  I have always wanted to volunteer, but just never did and I was really excited that they all want to next year. We usually do Christmas at my house every year and I was afraid they would be upset that I wanted to volunteer instead, but I got just the opposite response! 

I very much enjoyed the experience at the shelter on Christmas.  I found the clients for the most part to be friendly and polite.  I know that everyone in my group enjoyed the experience and are planning to do it every Christmas or Thanksgiving. I thought the facility was very nice as well. The other volunteers were fun to work with, too.  Thanks.

– Linda Helwick

It was a wonderful experience for all of us. We enjoyed serving the meal and being able to interact with the clients who came to eat. The shelter seemed very well organized and effective in creating a real home-like feel. Well done, Volunteers of America!

– Emily Price, CSUS

I volunteered to serve food at the Winter Shelter on Dec. 19. I was with the group Emily Price recruited. I would like to let you know that it was a wonderful experience. It was great to see how appreciative the people were of the service that the Volunteers of America provided them.  It was a pleasure to be a volunteer.

– Bernardo Mendoza

It is we volunteers who need to be thankful for the opportunity to serve those less fortunate. The residents were very respectful and fun to be with.  It was a wonderful and uplifting experience!

– Cynthia Arnaiz

Volunteering at the shelter was a great way to spend three hours of my day. Normally, I would be on the couch watching TV in that amount of time, but instead, I was given the opportunity to lend a helping hand, meet a lot of grateful people, and feel good at the end.

– Tammy Arnaiz

Thanks again for the opportunity. I thought the facility was extremely well done and provide a great place for the people that don’t have a home.

– Jeff Clayton

Since I’ve been an associate at the (Macy’s) furniture store, each Christmas we have done a Secret Santa with each other. (One year), I came in after a couple of days off and someone said that the day before in a meeting someone had suggested that instead of exchanging gifts with each other, we use that opportunity to give to the people staying at Halcyon Place. I was overwhelmed by the generosity of my fellow associates, and was grateful that money that would have been spent on items not really needed by the folks who received them would instead go to individuals truly in need, demonstrating the true meaning of Christmas. As a recovered client of Volunteers of America, I am truly proud and honored to work with these individuals that help give back to the organization that helped me on my road to recovery. For that I am forever grateful.

– Tim Collins, Macy’s Galleria at Roseville

It was such a rewarding experience! I loved every minute of it. It was such a blessing to go and serve. I would love to go back! 

– Sydney Shuey, Wilton Christian School

I had an amazing time and I can’t wait to go back!

– Rachel Smith, Wilton Christian School

 

I was a little hesitant at first, but then after I started I loved it. I loved being able to help them and see them smile.

– Joslyn Rozema, Wilton Christian School

 

Serving the men, women, and children brought such joy to my heart. I was both blessed and humbled by the experience, and hope to do it again soon.

– Joni Peets, Wilton Christian School

(My son) Cody has expressed to me that participating in the Wrap It Up! event gives him a special feeling inside that he is in some small way truly helping others. I feel the same way. Cody and I have often spoken about how fortunate we are and that we wish we could do something to make Christmas as wonderful for others as it always has been for us. By participating in the Wrap It Up! event, we feel that we are helping make someone’s Christmas a little brighter.  We realize that we play a very small role in the wonderful work done all year round by Volunteers of America, but the good feeling we get from it is worth a million to us and you can most certainly quote us on that!
 
My motivations for getting Cody and (his brother) Bobby involved in volunteering is simply that I know the feeling that it gives you to help others is really second-to-none. It is a feeling that cannot be bought, or simply given to you – you must earn it. My family is very fortunate, and I never want my children (or me) to forget that.  Sometimes it takes seeing what others don’t have to really appreciate what we do have!

I would recommend this experience to other families, and, as a matter-of-fact, I have on many occasions. I guarantee them that if they can find a little time to give, they will never regret it!

– Kelley McDonald

It was great to come out and help again.  Everything looked so festive with the holiday decorations up.  I do like the change you’ve made since the last time I was there.  Having everyone sit and actually being served seems to work much better in eliminating congestion around the point of service. The thing that has impressed me the most was their reaction. The guests continually expressed their appreciation for the meal and what we were doing. One gentleman went to each of the volunteers to be sure we knew how much he enjoyed everything. I even heard from at least four people that the food was “off the hook.”  Preparing such a large amount of food each day takes a lot of skill, so hats off to your kitchen staff.  Volunteers of America’s doing an exceptional job for the community and I can’t say enough about it.

 It has been a great experience for me and I’m looking forward to coming out to help again.

– Jan Carroll, County of Sacramento

Thank you so much for connecting Annabel and I with the Winter Shelter.  We both had an excellent experience last Monday. The staff was amazing and your clients were very appreciative of our efforts. Annabel and I felt really great when we left, and we’d like to help out more, if we can.

– Daniela Lizano

We all really enjoyed volunteering on Thanksgiving at the A Street shelter.  After you left, one of the men, named “Pork Chop,” invited my girls to sit down and eat with them.

It was the highlight of the night as they were able to ask questions and learn more about being homeless. They felt like they had made new friends and will never feel the same when they see homeless families on the street.  Each and every person we served was so incredibly courteous and truly thankful. One of our best Thanksgivings yet! Would be interested in doing more volunteering.  I will check out your site.

– Corinne Chapman

We had a wonderful time and would like to volunteer again. Everyone was so nice and it was a great experience for us. Thanks for all the coordination.

– Elissa Ernst

Thank you for the opportunity. It really made a big impact on my niece and mom who had no idea that there were so many folks that are in need.

– Cinderella Allen

It was an amazing experience to be able to put a smile on the children’s faces and to see how excited they were at such a simple thing as making Halloween bags. They are a great bunch of kids and I hope they had a great Halloween.

– Ora Sraboyants, UC Davis

Working with the kids was a rewarding experience. Watching their faces light up while they crafted their bags, played balloon races, and ate homemade cookies was rewarding in the sense that it confirmed that what we did for them had made a difference in their week.

– Melissa Anderson, UC Davis

I had so much fun doing crafts with the kids. I love Halloween and being creative and I wanted to share that with the kids. Everyone deserves a fun, safe Halloween. From the smiles on their faces, I could tell they had a fun time. I hope they all had a great Halloween and I look forward to working with Volunteers of America again in the future.

– Giselle Willeford, UC Davis