Hello everyone!
I often get the question of what I am doing in this year of service. Until now, I haven't been able to adequately give a full description of my position. If you are wondering what exactly my year of service is all about or if you are trying to explain it to someone else, I recommend using this blog as a resource.
First and foremost, I am a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Young Adult Volunteer. (Shortened into PCUSA YAV.) The description of a YAV from their website is as follows:
The Young Adult Volunteer program is a one year service opportunity for young adults from 19 to 30 years. YAVs live in intentional Christian community, deepening and developing their faith while serving alongside partners in sites across the United States and around the world. YAVs serve for one academic year, August—July, as they explore God’s calling in their lives.
I have grown up attending churches within the PCUSA denomination, and have been a member of a PCUSA church since 2007. I've been familiar with this program for quite awhile, but I want to recognize Gretchen Roth, Laurel Nelson, Jeff Moles, Alan Bancroft, Nancy Lowmaster, Liz DaBramo, Melissa Danielson, and Colin Pritchard for convincing me to do a YAV year, whether they were consciously pushing me in that direction or not.
There are currently over 70 YAVs serving across the globe. We are placed in groups at 20 different locations, all living in intentional Christian community. I am with four other YAVs in Asheville, with all five of us given work positions in different non-profit organizations the city. We work Monday-Thursday in these non-profits, and then join together on Fridays for vocational discernment.
Everything I do in Asheville for this year falls under the umbrella of my "YAV year". Including my work placement in Homeward Bound:
Homeward Bound's description on their website is as follows:
Homeward Bound of WNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit agency working in Buncombe and Henderson Counties. We end homelessness by moving people into permanent housing and providing the support that they need to stay there.
HBWNC is very successful at housing the homeless. 89% of the people they house have not become homeless again. This "housing first" model is extremely effective because it allows the clients to have a foundation of a home to be able to make the next steps towards stability.
My official title is Welcome Home Donations Volunteer. The "Welcome Home" program in Homeward Bound provides the newly housed clients with basic household items and furniture to make an apartment or trailer feel like home. As a donations volunteer, I have six job responsibilities:
1. Managing the Donation Center - I am in charge of monitoring volunteer traffic at our donation center and recording inventory. This includes recording all of the move ins, as well as assisting volunteers in other miscellaneous tasks (for example: installing new shelving for bed frames).
2. Move Ins/Move Outs - I assist the case managers with moving in the clients into their new homes. This involves loading/driving/unloading a really cool (and very large) box truck full of furniture and appliances to various locations around the greater Asheville area.
3. Picking up Donations - The same truck I use for move ins I use to deliver donations from the community to the donation center.
4. Reporting - I record every single donation and move in and once a month compile all of that information for my supervisor.
5. Coordinating Volunteers - In the past, there were two Donations Volunteers. Because I am the only one this year, Homeward Bound is finding volunteers to assist in my work, mainly for the move ins and picking up donations that involve more strenuous physical labor and require more than one person. I lead these volunteers and delegate their responsibilities when they are assisting me.
6. Truck Maintenance - All of the move ins and many of the donations require the use of the box truck, so it is my responsibility to make sure it is running well and gets fixed when convenient.
That is all in regards to my work in Asheville! But there is much more to being a YAV and living with these four fun people. My next blog will discuss what it means to be living in "Intentional Christian Community" and the journey that the five Asheville YAVs are taking together!
Donation Update: I am getting closer to the $3000 goal that supports my YAV year. If you would like more information on how to support my year financially or through other means, please email me at jeremygliddenblog@gmail.com
God bless!