Volunteer Stories

Layne Clune

I’ve been a volunteer for Family Promise Metrowest since the fall of 2016. I was invited to a “friendraiser” by an FPM volunteer and I was so impressed with their model of helping families out of homelessness through their case management and mentoring of the guests. I learned how hard everyone had to work to accomplish their goals and I was astounded by the fortitude, courage, and tenacity of the families. 

I started helping in the office, answering the phone, assisting with mailings, and running errands. Soon I was asked to babysit some of the children in the program and I just loved it! I became a Volunteer Trainer and gave tours of the Day Center and lately, I’ve been involved with the event committee for the upcoming Walk for Change. I’ve loved all aspects of volunteering for FPM. I love being a witness to the success and dedication of the families who come through the program and of the staff and volunteers at FPM who work so tirelessly to guide the families to meet their goals and move on to sustainability. It is life-affirming to be a part of people changing their lives!

Steve Beling

I had volunteered a few times doing room set up and tear down when I saw a request for tutors at Family Promise. I started remote tutoring in the fall of 2020, helping a young woman prepare for a nursing program entrance exam. It has been a tremendous experience. The strides that this woman made were incredible. The hard work and determination that she showed were truly inspirational. I always looked forward to our tutoring sessions. It took a while, but eventually she passed the test, which was a great moment. I have since worked with several others, including a high school student. They have all been great to work with. Sometimes I know the material very well, sometimes we are learning it together, either way it is always fun. The staff is very supportive and does a great job matching students with tutors. 

Emily Pan

When I first learned about Family Promise, I was immediately moved by their mission and started as a teen helper where I played with the kids after dinner. This year, I started tutoring a fifth grade girl. Even though she is so young, she is hardworking and eager to learn. She once told me that she switched her dream job from being an astronaut to chemist because she realized how much she liked chemistry from what we did in class. She was so excited and passionate that she even continued outside of class and wanted to memorize the whole periodic table! That is when I realized how big of an impact teachers have on students and how important teaching is. I realized that I didn’t want to be a doctor or a lawyer just so that I could make a lot of money, but I wanted to be a teacher.  Volunteering at Family Promise is rewarding not just for the people I help, but also for myself as I feel proud of myself for helping my community and gaining such valuable experience.

Dr. Michael Abrams

My wife and I heard about Family Promise Metrowest about the same time we learned our son had a high school community service commitment, so we volunteered as a family in the hopes he would discover the joy and humility that’s only found by serving others. That was almost four years ago. Our very best day volunteering was when our son told us that playing with the children at the day center was his favorite time of the week, and that he got much more than he gave from volunteering. Some people go their whole lives without ever learning that lesson, and FPM makes it easy by allowing members of the larger community to each contribute what they can. We could not possibly be more grateful.

Carol Virshbo

I am a member of one of the founding churches of FPM. I became active in 2008 by preparing meals, hosting dinners, and staying overnight during host weeks. It was very rewarding knowing these small sacrifices made a big difference to the families. These experiences got me hooked. I now help with fundraising events, tutoring, interview preparation, Day Center coverage, and anything else that I can assist with. My reward for volunteering is watching the families move into transitional housing and then out on their own. I love volunteering for FPM because you can do as little or as much as you want but everything that you do helps to improve the lives of our families.

Maureen Wooster

When I first moved to the area, I was looking for volunteer opportunities and was having difficulty finding the right placement. I then heard about Family Promise Metrowest through a friend and was welcomed with warmth and appreciation when they learned of my skills in Event Management and Human Resources. I really like the pragmatic approach FPM uses as they focus on helping families who are motivated to make a better life for themselves and their children.

I feel really appreciated by the staff and other volunteers and have made some great friends since volunteering with FPM. I would encourage others to volunteer as there are so many opportunities—from admin and IT to babysitting and event support. There is a volunteer role for anyone who wants to help as much or little as they are able.