I first heard about A Home Within from a friend who was volunteering with the agency and she actually did a presentation at A Home Within for a retired social workers group at the local chapter Illinois, NASW. So I volunteered. I was matched up with a client. I saw a young man in high school and saw him for about two and a half years. We worked through various issues until he graduated high school and moved down to college.

Volunteering with A Home Within did deepen my knowledge and understanding of the issues around adoption. My relationship with my client was very rewarding. Particularly in the way that over time, I saw him open up and reveal his playful sides, as well as seeing him appreciate his own strengths.

I'd like to see A Home Within’s strength grow in terms of increasing volunteers. I particularly like that A Home Within recognizes the value of therapy at multiple stages of life in regard to the foster care system experience. So that's obviously a great need, and there is a need for more volunteers. So, I hope to see that in the future.

I would simply say that volunteering with A Home Within is an opportunity to use your professional skills to benefit a population that might not otherwise receive them, and that the benefits are far greater than the investment. So, thank you.