Volunteers

SYM does a fantastic job supporting its clients and the community! I started volunteering at SYM about a year ago, and since then I’ve helped with all three programs: Coffee Run, Breakfast, and Drop-In. Each program is different, and offers a different way to connect with the community. Before I started volunteering, I had several negative experiences with unhoused people. Because of that, if I saw someone unhoused on the street, I would cross to the other side. I had a lot of negative thoughts and judged them without knowing their story.

After a while, God put it on my heart that I needed to change. One verse that stuck out to me was Matthew 25:35: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.” It made me think about how much God loves each person and how important it is to care for the people around us.

My first day volunteering at SYM, I was scared because of my past experiences, but I also felt like this was something God wanted me to do. My first Coffee Run I approached some of the same people I used to avoid when walking to school. I was shocked by how kind everyone was. I had so many positive conversations, and felt so much regret for judging them. When I started volunteering at Breakfast and Drop-In, I got to know SYM’s clients even more. I heard about their lives, their families, and the things they had been through. Some of their stories were hard to hear, and they completely changed the way I looked at homelessness. I realized how easy it can be for someone to become unhoused. I also realized that if I didn’t have the family and support system I have, I could easily be in the same position.

Now, I have true connections with SYM clients and unhoused people in the U-District. I love hearing about their wins, and I’m there for them when things are hard too. I have so much more respect and understanding for them now. I’m so glad I decided to volunteer, even though I was scared at first.

If you are thinking about volunteering at SYM, I highly recommend it. You may go in thinking you are there to help other people, but the experience might change you too. SYM is incredibly important to the community. It gives young people a safe place where they can get food, support, and people who care about them. I’m very grateful to be part of it!

- Caeley Moushegian