Giraffes have been sighted
in NC |
The Human Service Alliance has no paid staff and charges no fees, yet they are delivering such exceptional programs that people from all over this country and abroad are journeying to their doorstep to figure out how they do it. The secret of their success is the extraordinary dedication of their board of directors. The 21 board members describe themselves as “average, working people.” But these average people each do volunteer work in Alliance programs for more than 100 hours a month; they hold down outside jobs and give a substantial portion of their income to HSA; and no director has ever missed a weekly board meeting. They began their work in 1984 in a farmhouse in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Board members opened the house to people who were dying, and committed themselves to making their guests’ last days meaningful, comfortable and filled with love. Empowered by the success of this program, board members identified other community needs and began creating and staffing programs to meet them. After a period of training, new volunteers join HSA board members in taking care of people with disabilities so their families can rest; in doing the administrative work and the physical labor of maintaining HSA programs, buildings and equipment; in teaching health eduation and conflict resolution; in mediating disputes; in caring for terminally ill guests in residence at HSA; and in finding the grants, gifts and donations that keep it all going. |
Volunteers appear from all parts of the US, from other countries, and from corporate executive loan programs, all inspired by HSA’s atmosphere of selfless dedication. Many people come for “volunteer vacations,” using their weeks off for service rather than recreation; some move to Winston-Salem to volunteer full-time. Even reporters sent to do stories on HSA have returned as volunteers.“We’re all here because we want to be here, not because we’re paid to come,” said one long-time board member. Update: The HSA no longer hosts volunteer vacations. The organization now connects people interested in volunteer vacations with appropriate organizations. HSA has joined forces with the University for Human Goodness (for which the HSA is an umbrella organization) in Winston-Salem, N.C. Donations of time, services, goods and money are welcome at 3983 Old Greensboro Road, Winston-Salem NC 2701-2132. More information can be found at University for Human Goodness. |
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