We asked Melissa Neff, a volunteer to share her experience about volunteering during COVID. She helped Opportunity House by creating lists of local churches to to expand our our reach in Berks County.
At the end of April of this year, I found myself furloughed from the job that I had recently started. This was due to the COVID pandemic and the fact that there was not enough work anymore to keep everyone employed. Since then I have been on a rehire list and have been waiting and hoping to be called back, since I was working from home and enjoyed that.
Volunteer from Home
I live with my parents who are considered to be of higher risk. When the lockdown for Pennsylvania ended and more places opened again, we started to venture out more at times to places when we felt it was safer to do so. Now we are back to staying put again most of the time.
In a communication with Holly Wolf, I learned that she was looking for volunteers to help her create a mailing list to get the word out to more people about what Opportunity House does to help veterans. I asked her what this involved and told her that I would be willing to volunteer if it was something I had the appropriate computer capability to do. It simply involved me working at my own pace at home on my own schedule to research names of churches in Berks County and send her those names and email addresses or phone numbers, which she then did what was necessary on her end. It was a way for me to help the veterans without ever leaving my home.
Looking to help homeless Veterans and others in need?
Interested in volunteering? Call us at 610-374-4696 ext 231 or sperlaki@opphouse.org.
Host a clothing drive. Cook a meal. Work in the community garden. Sort merchandise at OppShop. Whatever you choose, it will be a rewarding and fun way to help the homeless in our community.