Voice of A Volunteer: Omar
On a typical day at Holy Apostles, you can usually find Omar in the back of the soup kitchen by counseling, enthusiastically talking to guests and handing out haircut vouchers, clothing referral slips, and toiletries.
“I’ve volunteered in counseling, at the bread station, collecting trays… I’ve tried a lot of the volunteer jobs. But being in counseling is my favorite job,” Omar says. “I get to talk to a lot of people. It feels good to have a sense of responsibility.”
Omar has been volunteering here for years, but when he initially came to Holy Apostles ten years ago, he came as a guest.
“When I first came to Holy Apostles, I had no idea so many people came here. But I was immediately impressed by how good the food was,” Omar shared, smiling. “I used to be on the street. It helped me open my heart to help people because I’ve been there before. I’m glad to be a volunteer now so I can help people in tough situations.”
When Omar first came here, he was struggling with a drinking problem. “Holy Apostles helped me to get detoxed in 2007. I’m doing a lot better now,” says Omar, proudly. “The people here help to keep me on track. I really like the people here. They keep my spirits high.”
Holy Apostles also helped to set Omar up with housing. He’s now living at BRC. “It’s much better than living on the streets,” Omar says. “Holy Apostles has really helped me to turn my life around. I’m doing much better now than I was when I first came here.”
