This is a beautiful organization that has been serving the most vulnerable members of our community for 50 years. I'm a long-time volunteer, and believe this is one of the most wonderful nonprofits serving the Bay Area. I would highly recommend volunteering or donating.
This organization is so incredibly rare and special. They take care of their volunteers, train them to be compassionate listeners and care-takers. They do a great job ensuring volunteers and clients are getting the most out of the partnership. I would highly recommend them to anyone looking for a meaningful opportunity.
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This organization is phenomenal. They take the time to really educate and train volunteers on how to serve under-privileged communities and individuals with the upmost care and compassion. They hold their volunteers to a high standard and are there to support them in any way at any time. I love volunteering with Shanti and would recommend getting involved to anyone who is looking for meaningful connections and service.
I have been a peer support volunteer with Shanti for over a year now and the experience has been remarkable. Shanti has had an enormous impact on the SF community for decades and their values shine through, presenting themselves within all pillars of the organization. Through my experience as a peer support volunteer and through the Shanti training itself, I have felt more grounded and rooted in the SF community as a whole.
I am a volunteer with PAWS - I walk two dogs twice a week for a client, Wanda, in Hunter's Point in SF. The experience has been awesome - the dogs are super cute and sassy and now according to Wanda know exactly what days and time I am coming and are very excited to go on their walks. Wanda has been great to work with - we text each the day I come and if for some reason one of us can't make it - we text each other. It has been simple and fun. Plus Hunter's point is a neighborhood I don't usually go to and it has been a wonderful experience - everyone is super friendly and take the time to greet you and we have a chat about the weather or whatever - overall a great experience for me plus I"m helping someone who loves her dogs and her dogs get to go out and sniff the neighborhood and get fresh air.
I volunteer with Shanti in the peer support program and have had the most amazing time. The training Shanti gives you is wonderful, a true exercise in empathy and it's inspiring and reassuring to meet volunteers who are so connected and in tune with themselves and others and want to build meaningful relationships. I was matched with my "client" (the individual I meet on a weekly basis) back in March, and have been meeting with them ever since. Providing support, whether it's practical or emotional, or just being a listening ear and a friend, has been one of the most beautiful and rewarding things I have ever done. I find deep joy in setting aside time to listen to my client and I have learned so much from them as well. I recommend this organization and the work they do to anyone who wants to spend their free time volunteering. This organization does exactly what it says it does and is comprised of wonderful, wonderful people.
I've been a Shanti peer support volunteer since 2012 and I cannot overstate how much my relationship with Shanti changed my life. My time in the weekend-long training was so moving and revelatory for me- the depth of empathy and thoughtfulness and radical non-judgment in that space was really a first for me. Since then, I've had 3 clients over the years who I cared for deeply- our relationships were all very much mutually rewarding. I also have participated in the Shanti volunteer support group, which has been an incredible source of connection and friendship that makes me feel part of a loving, caring community. It all makes me feel so much more connected to San Francisco and a legacy of compassion and mutual aid and combating isolation.
I’m a client and a volunteer, at Shanti
I’m so proud and grateful to be part of the organization has changed my life in so many ways that I wouldn’t imagine. Has a client and volunteer
I am so grateful to Shanti Project for the assistance and opportunity they've given to my peer, and by extension to myself (as a peer support volunteer).
Their work was groundbreaking when they started, and they continue to exist as a long-standing pillar of community driven care.
An opportunity to really make a difference in not only someone else’s life but your own. In-depth volunteer training and quality organization that prioritizes connection, humility, and empathy at a time we need it most. You will get out of it what you put into it.
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When I think of Shanti, the phrase that immediately comes to mind is, "from the heart." All of it. As great the word of mouth has been and as much good as I've heard about them, my experience volunteering with Shanti has still exceeded my rather high expectations.
Everything that Shanti offers and provides for its clients, and the in-depth training it provides for its volunteers, is completely and authentically from a place of caring and love in ways I find difficult to completely articulate in words--and in a way, Shanti's active listening model in being present and there our clients makes this feel a bit appropriate!
Shanti shares its mission of compassionate care and supporting many of San Francisco's most vulnerable folks with an assortment of services, including my own role as a peer support volunteer. The training I received was truly a bonding experience with other volunteers--I haven't felt that close with and supported by a group of strangers-turned-Shanti family for some time. Moreover, the training I received includes interpersonal skills that have only enhanced my interactions with housemates, co-workers, and my partner.
I have greatly enjoyed spending time with my client in a variety of support roles: in my case, simply being there in an emotionally supportive and totally present manner with some practical assistance here and there. My client and I have grown close in a short amount of time, and I look forward to our weekly meet-ups and finding out what's new with him.
I cannot recommend Shanti enough to anyone who has a desire to make a positive contribution to our community and help those in need.
My master’s program required community outreach and I found out about Shanti in my search for opportunities. I was intrigued by the model, which matches volunteers with clients to provide the support they need, whether that is emotional or practical. The training for new volunteers is very thoughtful and was a great opportunity to meet other volunteers, learn from seasoned volunteers and clients, and begin to embody the mission. I participated in training shortly before the pandemic began and placements were on pause for the beginning of the pandemic, so it was a while before I was matched with a client. However, once I was, it has been a great match that has supported both my client and me. It has been close to two years and I have learned so much from my client and hope that we have many more years together. Support group for volunteers is a critical component of the model and was very important when I was just beginning as a volunteer. The facilitators, who are members of Shanti staff and long-time volunteers, do a great job of helping volunteers to process what has been going on in both the lives of their clients and their own lives. For people who are local to SF, there are plenty of opportunities to participate in one-off activities as well. All in all, volunteering with Shanti has been a great addition to my life. I would highly recommend it to folks who live in San Francisco and have the time and bandwidth to make a meaningful connection with a client - it won’t just make a difference in your client’s life, it will make a difference for you, too!
Shanti provides much needed emotional and practical support for residents in the bay area. They rely heavily upon volunteers and provide top class training and support for anyone who wants to give back to their community.
I was a client of Shanti Project for a time. As my life began to evolve and change, I wanted to give back to the community the kindness, service, and care I had received. Shanti Project has a Peer Support Volunteer Program that carefully matches volunteers with clients. I underwent training and mentoring with Shanti staff before being matched with my client. This program offers emotional and practical care to some of San Francisco’s most vulnerable populations. This is a most valuable program, as it provides care to those who may otherwise struggle due to physical and emotional isolation.
Honored to be a part of this vital service.
Shanti is an amazing organization. I have been a peer support volunteer for a little over three years and it has been a fantastic experience from the start. The training they provide is excellent and useful not only in my volunteer work but in my daily life. They also provide excellent ongoing support after the training. I recently had the pleasure of returning to their peer support training as a facilitator and was able to see and participate in all the great work that takes place behind the scenes to make the training, and everything else, run smoothly. I was impressed at the hard work, knowledge, and dedication of everyone on the training time. Most impressive is that they all genuinely care about people and it is clear in everything they do.
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I have been volunteering for Shanti for a little over a year. My experience with Shanti has been incredible. It is an amazing organization full of wonderful, talented people. The peer support training was thorough and insightful and adequately prepared me for the volunteer role. After the training, the staff continue to support their volunteers in many different ways. It is clear that they care deeply not only about the clients that they serve, but about the overall experience of their volunteers.
One of a kind organization with attention to detail at every level - wonderful, thorough, moving training, and lots of support after the fact, including support groups and regular check-ins. The Shanti family is very special.
I joined Shanti 4 years ago as a Peer Support volunteer, and the experience has helped me become a better listener, have a compassionate and meaningful relationship with my elder, see San Francisco in a new light and through different eyes, and made me more well rounded as an individual. The concepts I learned in the intensive training before I was matched with an elder, have helped me personally and enriched my own relationships as well.
One of the most meaningful volunteering experiences that I have had.
The staff members are also amazing and very supportive.
Hi my name is Linda Rommuno and I am on SSDI and have 2 cat's Roomba and Boo Bear and thanks to the wonderful people at PAWS I now have everything I need for my furbabies they even delivered my babies food once a month to me they have been a very big help to my furbabies and I besides food,litter and treats they have beds,cat trees, and everything and anything else i need for Roomba and Boo Bear I am so grateful they came into are lives
I am a PAWS client and this year was tough. Losing my BooBoo dog was heartbreaking. But Care Navigator Georjean was there with support and compassion. I know she helped me with vet funds above and beyond. Without PAWS I don't know what I would have done.
The Shanti Project has served the HIV/AIDS community in San Francisco for three decades. Their program, Honoring Our Experience, gives San Francisco's long-term survivors of HIV/AIDS a diverse, inviting, respectful environment to help each other through the trials and triumphs of having lived with AIDS for 30, 35, or 40 years. There services are absolutely necessary. I don't know what we long-term survivors would do without them.
Without PAWS, I would not be able to afford to feed my dog food, and I would have to surrender . Just the thought of losing him makes me cry. My dog Tango and I are a family and we need each other.
Almost a lifesaver for my 3 cats. They always accommodate us with food, supplies and more---even transportation when needed. And during this pandemic we are always served with a smile and friendly advice. Still, I wish we could return to the "open" location, like before COVID. Hopefully it will be soon.
I help volunteer by delivering cat and dog food to those in need. They are great to work with and make such an impact in the community.
Pets Are Wonderful Support (“PAWS”) is one of the many extraordinarily valuable programs of Shanti Project. The mission of PAWS is to ensure that the elderly, ill and disabled in our community are able to keep their beloved pets when they need them the most. For many clients of PAWS, their beloved pet is their only family.
I have worked with the PAWS for 30 years. By honoring the human- bond I have seen clients enjoy a quality lives with their pets that would not be there otherwise. Their health is improved and their outlook on life is tremendously better.
The best place in San Francisco . Caring and honest people who only want the best for their clients . Empathy is their number one skill
I found myself at the Shanti reception desk as if in a dream after reading an ad on the bus. It was the early 80's and we were in the middle of the AIDS pandemic and that ad made me realize that I could help immensely just making someone's bed.
I was 26, barely off the boat from Italy and I felt like a child among adults when throughout the 3 day training I heard people's stories and experiences, their sorrows and backgrounds often difficult and very different from mine, because of their sexual orientation, social status, religion or culture but still wanting to help others nevertheless.
The training was one of the best things that happened to me, it brought me back to a level of compassion and empathy I had long buried inside. I wanted to test my ideas and believes about suffering and death but was assigned a client that was relatively well and I cleaned his house weekly for 9 months, slowly getting to know him better. Other volunteer friends were not so lucky and ended up saying goodbye to 6 or 7 clients during the same period of time. Some of the volunteers were HIV positive and getting sick themselves and still did amazing things for their clients.
People said that HIV/AIDS brought the best out of the Gay Community, which got closer and better organized to fight discriminatory policies and lack of support from the status quo.
I marched in the Gay Parade that year and it was a great experience. At the time the director was Jim Geary -who was also present at our training weekend- and there was some dissent on how he was managing that got in the papers, so I was not expecting the support of SF citizens lining Market Street clapping and cheering when we passed as the Shanti volunteers group.
In my naiveté I asked a volunteer friend why, if they were so loudly supportive, did they not also volunteer like we did. He had to explain to me that not everyone can do what we were doing, most people prefer writing checks or clap from a distance.
I am surely grateful to have volunteered and learned all I did then, thank you Shanti.
I came across Shanti a few years ago when I was looking for volunteer opportunities. I completed the Peer support training and it changed my life. I was matched with my client for two years until my schedule would not allow me to volunteer anymore. My relationship with my client was like no other in my life. I am forever grateful for my Shanti experience.
Volunteering for Shanti has been one of the most rewarding and meaningful experiences in my life. I remember participating in the training 4.5 years ago and it was transformative. I am so grateful to be given an opportunity to meet my incredibly resilient clients - without Shanti we would probably have never met. It is an honor to be a part of their life. The Shanti community holds a very special place in my heart.
I joined Shanti as a volunteer in 2017 and I am so grateful to be part of this wonderful community. I consider Shanti to be an essential pillar in the history of San Francisco with its capacity to show up for the most vulnerable when it is needed, in such a unique compassionate way. My time as a volunteer inspired me to apply for a full-time position at Shanti where I now work as an HIV Services care navigator. I feel so lucky to work with such an amazing group of people!
I had the honor of working with Shanti as a donor and am so proud to have been a part of the Shanti family! Working at a photo studio, we had a large amount of clothing samples that were usually sent somewhere and passed off as Goodwill donations. Being in SF, our team wanted to restrategize this process so we could directly impact our local community. After doing some research we found Shanti and were able to get them approved by corporate for us to send our donations. Communication and planning with Shanti was easy and convenient; they rented their own truck to come and pick up donation boxes-making it much easier to coordinate with our team. Shanti was beyond grateful for our contributions, and it was so great to see all this clothing going directly into the hands of people in need. We maintained this donor relationship with Shanti for over a year while I worked at the Photo Studio. Shanti invited us to attend a Gala to show their gratitude, where we able to meet numerous clients who were a part of Shanti and benefitted from our donations. It makes you realize- clothes are often times more than just clothes. They can create self confidence; they can boost our self esteem and lift our moods. They can make you feel proud and beautiful. We were shared a story of a man who was able to find a suit that fit him from our donations so that he had a nice outfit to go visit his family he had not seen in years; that was just one of many stories we were shared that made our team beyond grateful and appreciate for all the care Shanti provided to its clients and the community. Thank you Shanti for all the good work you do, all the care you provide, and all the love you spread through your services! Very glad my team could contribute; I look forward to the next opportunity where I can once again partner with Shanti.
I have worked with my client for 5 years and it’s one of the most rewarding parts of my life. Shanti is truly a family and so supportive. They’ve been at the forefront of so many crisis in San Francisco history and have been a pillar of love and support for those who are suffering the most. I feel proud to be a part of this community. The trainings are excellent and benefit your life beyond just your work as a volunteer. Highly recommend!
I have been volunteering with Shanti since the winter of 2009. I never cease to be amazed at the entire staff's endless enthusiasm, support and care for not only their clients, but also for their co-workers and volunteers. The entire experience has been a gift and has challenged me to grow in ways that would not have been possible if I had not worked with Shanti. The work they continue to do is unparalleled, and I consider every person in the organization to be a real champion and hero. I take great pride in being able to work with such exceptional and caring human beings. Thanks to all at Shanti, you are truly the best and I appreciate all that you do.
It has been amazing pleasure to volunteer for Shanti so far. They have a great training for peer-to-peer volunteering. The care-navigators are very supportive.
Their communication platform and availability is great to provide support and adjustments for any volunteering activity. It's always great talking to shanti members and clients in the meetings. For anyone who is looking forward for a volunteering opportunity, which is easy to get in, I would strongly recommend trying out shanti. They have great platform to volunteers based on their interests, availability and location. One can get involved in activities like dog walking, peer-to-peer volunteering, basic activity needs of the clients who find it difficult to access.
I absolutely love volunteering for PAWS Shanti. I volunteer as a dog walker for an elderly person and walking that little dog is the highlight of my day. It’s therapeutic and heart-warming...I sincerely feel like I get more out of this than I give. That dog brings a lot of joy to his humans life and I’m very glad to be of help.
Shanti came into my life over three years ago. I was blown away by the support this non profit offers to our community in need. Last year I volunteered delivering stockings to clients and their beloved pets through their organization PAWS; Pets Are Wonderful Support. PAWS provides services such as food delivery, dog walkers and more for individuals with pets that are in need of assistance with their animals. We delivered stocking for cats, dogs and birds filled with treats and toys. The look on clients faces and the warm welcome from their pets as we delivered the stockings to each door was one for the books. Without these services many would face losing their pets and because of Shanti they will not allow this to happen! I look forward to volunteering again this year!! Cheers to such a wonderful Organization. Shanti changes lives!
I began volunteering with Shanti back in 2015. The impact they have in San Francisco is undeniable. I am grateful to be a part of Shanti!
When I moved from London to San Francisco in February this year I wanted to find a volunteering opportunity that would allow me to give back to the community in a truly meaningful way. I feel so fortunate that I discovered Shanti as they have allowed me to do this and then some!
Shanti has been such a massive part in shaping my love of San Francisco; the passionate and dedicated staff, the excellent volunteer training programme, the other awesome volunteers, my incredible client and being involved in fundraising events from auctioning lap dances to serving beers at leather festivals.
Everything about Shanti is so refreshingly genuine and the services they provide make such an important difference to some of San Francisco's most vulnerable.
Long may their work continue!
I waited 1-1/2 years to volunteer with the Shanti Project before my schedule finally allowed it, and it's been everything I was seeking!
I wanted to make a deep commitment to help someone else. The Shanti Project provided thorough training and then paired me with a long-term peer support client who is such a wonderful match for me.
I'm learning how to be open-hearted and fully present for my client... and it extends into every other aspect of my life. On top of getting to give back to the world around me, I'm having so much fun! Thank you, Shanti!
ShantiProject is an ever evolving nonprofit .it was founded in 1974 and through the darkest days of the AIDS plague of the 80's it was one of the go to organizations offering support and comfort. As our community and its needs have changed so has the Project.
They offer peer support to all that have life threatening illnesses.
Needs vary by individual. Every client is meticulously matched to their peer volunteer . And support is specific to clients needs and requests . I am proud to be a member of this selfless and compassionate organization .
The Shanti Project sets the example for a peer-support network beautifully integrated into the communities it serves. This nonprofit provides critical, often overlooked, services to those afflicted with life-threatening illnesses and others in need, such as emotional & practical support, empathy, and general companionship. I've volunteered with Shanti for almost three years, and can say with confidence that this organization is a vibrant, necessary, and constructive force for many communities in San Francisco. If only there were sister nonprofits spread throughout the country ... the world would be a better place.
I've known about Shanti for a while, and have wanted to be apart of the organization for some years now. I was lucky enough to get an internship as an Event Coordinator, and was later on hired full-time. I am reminded everyday how beautiful and welcoming this community is. From the amazing and caring staff, to the exceptional volunteers, Shanti really makes a difference in the lives of our clients, and has for a fact made a huge impact on mine. I look forward to coming to work everyday, to serve the community of San Francisco, and work with people who truly care and want to make a difference.
Shanti restored my faith in non-profits. I've worked at many Bay Area organizations, and most of them either didn't last, became way too corporate, or lost sight of their original missions. I feel that Shanti and PAWS (Pets Are Wonderful Support), now a program of Shanti, still have the grassroots, activist spirit that was around when they began thirty and forty years ago. My colleagues treat their clients with genuine respect, and I believe that's why I've never worked at a non-profit that's as loved and appreciated by its clients as Shanti.
I am so happy to be a Shanti volunteer. It has always been one of my goals to work with this wonderful organization . The orientation is 24 hours which seems daunting but time well spent. During the weekend, I looked forward to seeing the other volunteers as we learned skills to best interact with our future clients. Working with my client has opened up a whole new world . He finds free things to do in San Francisco every week and we have great talks.
Once a month I attend a support group to share our experiences and our ups and downs with clients. It is a great volunteer experience.
I also work with PAWS . Once or twice a month on Saturday, I help deliver pet food to needy clients. Paws also helps clients walk and bath their dogs .
Shanti is an incredible organization! Our program became part of Shanti 1 year ago. At first I wasn't sure what to think because I had only heard of the organization and didn't know it very well. But each thing I learned about Shanti, I felt more and more confident. Now I proudly tell people that Shanti is a wonderful organization that supports so many people, pets, and communities. I am proud to be part of this strong, compassionate place.
The Shanti Project is beautiful-from it's clients and volunteers to it's mission statement. As a volunteer, I really appreciate being able to work one on one with a client that I was perfectly matched with. It feels more like hanging out with a friend than doing volunteer work.
I loved the training as well. I have not felt that inspired about the kind of work I want to do and the type of person I want to become since college!
I love volunteering for Shanti and would highly recommend them to anyone looking to get involved in public service and mental and physical health problems.
I've started volunteering with Shanti only recently but already can see that this is a unique organization. The support and guidance they offer their volunteers is remarkable. Also, I've noticed that many of the employees and volunteers used to be patients, I do believe it says a lot about a place. I honestly can't emphasize enough how grateful I am to take part of such an amazing organization!
Shanti is the best nonprofit I have ever been involved with! I am currently a peer support volunteer. The training process for becoming a peer support volunteer was very organized and well thought out. I have been impressed with the kindness and professionalism of all the Shanti staff and would recommend them to anyone looking to get involved with a great cause! I love them!
I have been volunteering as a peer support volunteer for the last 6 months, and have been supporting Shanti for about two years. This is a phenomenal organization that spreads kindness throughout the San Francisco community and makes the lives of its most vulnerable members better through support and care navigation. It has been a truly rewarding experience to give back to the community through Shanti, and I admire all of the people who work there and are driven to spread its mission.
Shanti's community of staff and volunteers are the most dedicated and empathetic that I've ever seen in my history of working with nonprofits. The organization has made a huge impact in San Francisco in the 41 years that it's been in existence by ensuring that thousands of individuals with serious illnesses obtain the practical and emotional support services they need. For many of the clients who otherwise lack resources, Shanti truly has been "the difference between zero and one."
Shanti Project, they care about the work they do, their clients and how they reach others in the community. I had the pleasure of working with this amazing and dedicated staff during the past four months while planning their 40th Anniversary Benefit Dinner. I have never worked with a more dedicated & supportive staff in my 30+ years of fundraising. Pleasure to work with, amazing to hear their stories and see them work with the clients they service. Know when you donate to this organization, your money is spent well and for such great programs!
The year was 1988. I had graduated high school a mere 7 years earlier. I was young, social, enjoying the freedom the gay rights movement of the seventies paved for me and my generation. Then in one swift stroke my happy go lucky life changed forever. My very first and only HIV test came back positive. Back then it was a death sentence. I felt alone, scared and was certain that no one could possibly understand what it mean to be told at 24 years old that you were going to be dead at 30.
Then, I encountered Shanti Project. The staff and volunteers accepted me with open arms and hearts. They listened, without judgement, without fear, without advice, to my fears and concerns. The people at Shanti Project taught me that it was okay to be angry, afraid, to feel cheated. But they also showed me that those feelings and this disease didn't have to define my life. That I could live a quality life not in spite of it but because of it.
Shanti Project helped me to turn a corner and to view this as an opportunity to not only help and educate myself but to do so for others.
Thank you Shanti Project.
What lies at the core of the Shanti model is the epitome of humanitarianism to me - kind, caring, nonjudgmental support of peers in their time of greatest need. I feel privileged and grateful to have been a part of this community as a volunteer for eight years and counting. I get to help others the way I've been helped in my life. And I get to see so many wonderful staff members and volunteers make a positive difference in so many lives. This is all possible because of the focused and efficient way Shanti functions as an organization.
I have been volunteering for Shanti Project in numerous capacities over the last year and a half. They genuinely care about their volunteers and follow up and offer more opportunities for folks to expand their services. I have gained positive personal growth and am certain my matched client benefits greatly from both the services I and Shanti provide. I am so thankful this organization is available in our community.
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I joined the Shanti community in May 2013 and have been warmly welcomed by the staff, and members of the community within this great non-profit. I not only have been blessed with peer-support opportunities, but have been assisting within other departments such as Research and Fundraising. Not only are the staff and volunteers friendly and helpful, but the organization provides support for their volunteers as well. I believe this is key to the long-running strength of Shanti as a key player in the non-profit sector and LGBT community within San Francisco and abroad. The Shanti Model is one other non-profits, HIV/AIDS and Breast cancer organizations strive to mirror.
I have been volunteering with Shanti in various capacities for nearly two years. I have found this organization to have a high performing staff, who are always engaged and eager to work with you. Shanti's unique mission has a tremendous impact for both their community and their clients, and I have been proud to be a part of this special group through volunteering both my time and money.
Some highlights of this organization and my experience are as follows:
-experiencing the unique volunteer training course, which ensures that each volunteer understands and espouses the Shanti mission
-building a relationship with my Shanti client
-helping plan the annual Breast Cancer Program event
Shanti is an amazing organization both for its volunteers and for the breast cancer and HIV communities it supports. I joined Shanti 3 years ago as a volunteer in the HIV peer support program and am impressed regularly with Shanti's commitment, professionalism, and caring/knowledgable staff.
The first thing they do for new volunteers is to put them through an intensive weekend training program, which was an absolutely amazing experience. I was worried it would be poorly organized and kind of a waste of a precious weekend, but I could not have been more wrong. The training was well thought out and contained many safe and supported opportunities to practice the skills I would need as a peer support volunteer. The presenters were prepared and knowledgable, and the material was based on many combined years of Shanti experiences and best practices. I left the training with new friends and new skills in both personal life and peer support.
Following this I was matched with my very amazing and wonderful client, Josh, who is a blessing in my life. I am able to be a friend and support to him, listen to him, help him get to appointments, and share in his joys and his challenges. Our relationship is incredibly special to me, and I look forward to our time together very much. I feel grateful that we can share each other's lives through the Shanti model. I am also constantly supported by Shanti's amazing staff. As a volunteer I am part of a small support group that meets monthly, allowing us to work through issues that are hard for us with our client, share the joys and challenges and refresh ourselves by supporting one another. At the same time if I have anything come up with Josh that I'm not sure how to handle I can call or email my Shanti contact, who knows Josh personally and also stays connected to him. This means that Josh and I always have experts to go to for the challenges we are not sure how to handle on our own. I am so grateful to this amazing organization and love to be a part of it!
I went through the volunteer training about 20 years ago! That training informed my work with nonprofits. I joined the staff to help raise funds for the organization in 2012 and I couldn't be happier. Our work with breast cancer clients and people living with HIV helps the most at risk and underserved, and the clients really appreciate our hard work.
I have been a volunteer with Shanti for eight years and am honored to have recently joined the Board of Directors. I found Shanti shortly after moving to San Francisco and volunteered to facilitate jewelry-making workshops every few months for women in their breast cancer program. During that first year, Shanti's staff treated both me and their clients with a level of professionalism, kindness and respect that blew me away.
My experience with the program inspired me to increase my involvement and I decided to go through the weekend-long training to become a Peer Support Volunteer. This was followed by several years of deeply rewarding, multi-faceted volunteering with Shanti which I hold as one of the most meaningful experiences in my life. I was matched with a client in the breast cancer program, Magna, for many years and still help train new volunteers as well as run a monthly support group for currently matched volunteers.
I support Shanti because I have witnessed the critical need that their services fill for vulnerable people facing life-threatening illnesses in San Francisco. I support Shanti because their team is experienced and effective at training volunteers to meet this need, while always demonstrating compassion toward clients and appreciation toward volunteers and supporters. I look forward to a bright future for the organization as it continues to grow and serve our community.
I have been a part of Shanti for over 5 years and each year gets better and better. I was honored to serve as a Board of Directors member and when I needed to step down; I was thankful to be able to continue to be a part of the the planning committee for Shanti's Swim-for-LIFE event.
Shanti contineus at 40 years strong - serving the Breast Cancer and HIV Communities of the SF Bay area and I am proud to be a part of this strong history.
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Shanti has been a place to where I am routinly in awe...from the staff, volunteers and clients. As a BOD member, I hear often how Shanti has had a positive impact on the lives of those we provide services to but also for the larger SF community. It has been an honor to be a part of Shanti and glad I can make a contribution to the work we all do together.
I moved to SF a few years back and sought out great non-profits that I could volunteer at, primarily to give back, and to meet new people. After having done research, I landed on Shanti--they had some wonderful reviews out there. I went through the volunteering orientation sessions and was *thrilled* to see that such care went into their programs. It truly is staffed by people that genuinely care about the causes. This was refreshing! Ultimately, I was unable to make a long-term commitment to their caregiving volunteer program; however, I volunteer each year for their Swim-for-Life program--it's my small way of still being connected to a fantastic organization and a fantastic cause.
I have known of Shanti for years but only recently become intimately involved with day to day operations. The mission of Shanti was evident in the staff and volunteers present. Staff are helpful, open and aware of who is around and who they serve. Their service outcomes, outputs, and financial information is available on their website and is understandable. The Executive Director and Board are accessible to most anyone seeking information.
I've been involved with Shanti and aware of their impact for about ten years now. It is truly inspiring how many ways they change lives for the better. The breadth of their activities and their determination and perseverance is breathtaking. To not only survive, but thrive as a non-profit for over thirty years is an amazing feat.
I've seen first-hand the effects Shanti has not only on their clients, but on their community as a whole and I am honored to know many staff and volunteers there and to be a part of it myself.
Shanti is truly an exceptional and life-changing nonprofit. I have been volunteering with Shanti for almost 10 years. There are few nonprofits in which I have witnessed such compassion, heart, and support from everyone involved - the staff, the volunteers, the Board of Directors, and the clients. I have volunteered and worked at numerous nonprofits, and I can truly say that it is rare to find 1) the incredible level of support that the Shanti staff provide for the volunteers and the clients, and 2) the deep level of compassion and dedication that the volunteers embody.
The staff and volunteers who provide Shanti's vital services and support to the HIV/AIDS and breast cancer communities are passionate about helping people with these life-threatening illnesses. There is a good reason why so many volunteers give hours of their time each week to serve Shanti's clients, and often volunteer with Shanti for many, many years!
Shanti is able to provide comprehensive support to almost 2,000 clients each year because staff put all of their heart into serving clients, and because the organization as a whole makes every effort to run on a lean, effective budget. Shanti has a model that has worked for over thirty years to improve quality of life for its clients, but their is still a strive to innovate and grow. Shanti works to expand and enhance its services, and build partnerships with organizations in the city that have complimentary models and resources.
Shanti stands out as the best volunteer organization I've ever worked with. First, the experience Shanti facilitates - providing compassionate support to their clients living with chronic illnesses - is an honor and a gift. Second, Shanti values volunteers as an integral part of the Shanti model, so Shanti staff treat volunteers as equitable partners in supporting clients. Finally, being a volunteer at Shanti for 5 years has been an opportunity to join a long-standing and important community in San Francisco. It is an inclusive community that is not based on similar backgrounds or lifestyles, just shared values - most importantly compassion!
I have been associated with Shanti in various roles since 1997. what keeps me coming back? Well, there's the exceptionally dedicated and talented staff, and the agency enjoys remarkable leadership by its Executive Director, and the Board of Directors are very much involved in guiding the agency's course. But the main reason I come back to help this organization is the way Shanti volunteers touch the hearts and change the lives of their clients. Incredible transformations often occur as a result. I am so proud to be a making a contribution to this effort!
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Shanti is one of those rare finds - an organization with a heart. Shanti's founder frequently says Shanti's mission can be summed up in two words: Love heals. Never before have I been associated with something so permeated with love. The art of giving has been refined and perfected by the folks at Shanti. Do you want to enhance your life like that? Do you want to belong to a group of like minded and hearted individuals? Do you have three hours a week to give? Then volunteer here!
Compassion is one of the words that come to mind when I think about Shanti. Right before joining Shanti's Board, Kaushik Roy, Shanti's ED, invited me to attend Shanti's peer support training, which turned out being a life changing event. It was an incredible weekend which is difficult to describe in a few words. All I can say for now is that I learned a bit about Shanti's model and the idea that no one should go through a life threatening illness alone. I'm proud to be part of this organization and I'm proud to give back to my community by volunteering for Shanti.
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Shanti is my favorite nonprofit organization. I met Kaushik Roy, Shanti's Executive Director, at a Board Match event in San Francisco at the beginning of 2011, and I've been volunteering for Shanti ever since. After going through some rough times and getting much support from the San Francisco community, I've decided to give back to the community by supporting Shanti. I highly recommend taking the Peer Support Training, a three-day program, that will provide life changing tools to better interact and be compassionate with other people. It definitely changed my life.
Shanti is one of very few organizations that has accomplished and often surpassed it's mission for close to 4 decades -- the mission of ensuring that men and women with HIV/AIDS and with breast cancer do not face illness alone. By training and deploying volunteers into a 1:1 relationship with clients, Shanti provides a unique support service to those most in need. The organization has shown an unwavering commitment to the community and is an example to others in this arena.
Shanti Project is a San Francisco organization that started 39years ago to help those with teminal illness. They were called upon to help with the Aids epedemic in the City and more recently with breast cancer. Their model is unique because they match volunteers one on one with clients to support them when they need it most, whatever stage of the illness they may be in. The staff and volunteers are filled with compassion for the clients and organization!
I am inspired by the work that Shanti does! They support and care for many who need it most, with grace. They are the pioneers in what they do and have gained the respect of not only the Bay Area community but also internationally. I had the pleasure of volunteering for their Shanti Speakeasy Cocktail Celebration and couldn't have been more pleased with the quality and fun of the event and it's attendees. I am happy to help this organization in whatever way I can!
Review from Guidestar
As one of the Human Development Facilitator based in Lubumbashi, DR Congo and assigned to the wide community of Kalebuka in the rural Southeast part of the city of Lubumbashi, I have the privilege of seeing first hand people’s lives transformed by the Participatory Human Development Process. You should see how proud they are to share their stories with visitors. Amongst them, maybe Phiri and Boni had the most tremendous change of their lives. Both are active members of local groups we organized in Kalebuka I and Kalebuka II. They are married and fathers of 7 and 5 children respectively. None completed his primary education.
Here is what Phiri said recently:
"Initially, when we started to get involved with Outreach International’s program, I thought that was as always, but things began to take shape for my life." Working on the project of clean water supply as a community, I had the opportunity to be trained in the repair of hand pumps with my friend Boni. I am now a craftsman repairer, with a certificate that proves that I can repair the hand pumps. At least Outreach International with its program gave me the opportunity to have qualifications. I was a mere hunter and casual farmer. Apart from the three hand pumps we receive from Outreach International that we maintain regularly, we receive more and more demands in addition, to repair many other hand pumps in our community and even in neighboring communities. I have started to feel that I am also being appreciated and valued as a worthy person, as compared to the time when I was without qualification. These people (Outreach International) came to help me develop; today I am also proud to help my community by repairing their hand pumps and by training others in the repair of pump. It is in this way that I participate also in the supply of clean drinking water to my community. Our training allowed us to have very good tools kits for the repair that many do not have.
Outreach International helped the two of us to have qualifications, with the possibility of getting employment in drilling companies.”
Lunda
Shanti is a pioneer San Francisco organization who has stayed true to its mission for over 38 years. As one to the first organizations to respond to AIDS crisis in San Francisco, Shanti has trained thousands of volunteers in the Shanti model of peer support. Shanti volunteers provide compassionate care to our LGBTQ brothers and sisters living with life threating illnesses such as HIV/AIDS and Breast Cancer though out San Francisco. As Charlie Garfield, the founder of Shanti once said, “A shanti volunteer is often the difference between zero and one”. The difference between zero and one for a Shanti client often means the difference between having one compassionate person to care and love them and having no one. Shanti’s impact continues to be felt by thousands of men and women in the San Francisco LGBTQ community. I am proud and humbled to serve on the Board of Director of the Shanti Project.
As a social worker in the bay area, I have the opportunity to work with many non-profit organizations; and since learning of Shanti a little over a year ago, I've been exceptioning impressed by CEO, Kaushik Roy; the services provided to their client population; the advocacy role they play in the bay area; and their philosophy, mission and values. Shanti is both helping to improve the quality of life and save the lives of their clients. I have was formally involved with their Breast Cancer Program fundraiser this year and have been donating to Shanti since learning of their organization. I hope to remain involved with this extraodinary organization for many years to come.
I have known Shanti for over 30 years and have been a board member for the past 2 1/2 years. I can say that the commitment to our clients is unsurpassed by any staff I have ever seen. The work that Shanti does to give a fighting chance to those who would otherwise might not survive a life-threatening illness is amazing. We work hard to make sure or clients are well cared for, our volunteers' commitments to empathetic and consistent support, and our staff's care navigation services give them access to services that they might not know about or otherwise have access to. Shanti is great, Shanti is wonderful, Shanti is love.
My name is Debra Garner I became a volunteer at Shanti's in 2011. I volunteered as a Care Navigator and Wellness Coordinator. I felt very honored to volunteer at Shanti , the clients were wonderful and very appreciative. I had the opportunity to work with a client who was at end of life and she had no blood family but considered Shanti her family. Shanti volunteer Staff were wonderful and always available to offer support. I don't think without the support of Shanti management that my experience would not had been a lifechanging experience.
I've been with Shanti as a peer support volunteer since 1998. My current client, whom I've been matched with since 2001, is as different from me as it's possible to be, but Shanti taught me that it's still possible to forge a strong, respectful, supportive bond nonetheless. It was through Shanti that I learned about active, empathic listening and unconditional positive regard, two things that have allowed me to be a successful volunteer *and* a better, more present person in general. Shanti is unique in the skills it helps its volunteers develop, and in the work it enlists them to do. In addition, the organization does an extremely good job--through support groups, regular check-ins with staff, and other methods--of ensuring that volunteers get the support they need. Shanti has changed my life, and in turn has helped me have an impact on my clients' lives; for that I am in its debt.
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Shanti is an impressive organization that does a lot of good with a modest budget. Through its peer support program, which has been around for all of Shanti's 35 years, it trains volunteers to provide emotional and practical support to clients, allowing volunteers to have a real impact on the lives of people living with HIV and breast cancer. Shanti's staff are among the most dedicated people I've ever met. They're strongly committed to the agency's clients, to progressive wellness programs, and to Shanti's volunteers.
Hi, my name is David Araujo and I've been Shanti's client for about 8 years now. I remember the very first day when I went to Shanti completely lost regarding how to take care of myself and our community. Shanti open its arms and received me with all the love, wisdom and knowledge that they are known for and this was a major turn around in my life. Speaking about L.I.F.E. it's a wonderful and life changing program offered by Shanti that with all simplicity I'd say: """The best ever""". That said, I am really proud of Shanti and the LIFE Program for having keeping the highest and best standards that a non-profit organization can have serving it's clients, the community, families and all of us. Thank You, TAHNK YOU and T.H.A.N.K. Y.O.U. Love. :) D.
Hello, my name is Manolo Pizarro. I've been a client of Shanti for almost 12 years. I used to be a Chef du Cussine , but once I became familiar with the services offered at Shanti , I realized that I needed to change gears . Shanti inspired me to change careers and to get involved with the community. Today I am a Health Educator and an activist for the LGBT Community . I am a L.I.F.E graduate and nevertheless , I am a Shanti supporter and I will always be thankful for having them in my life and for showing us, the POZ community, how to obtain the tools required to build a stronger community .
On June 20, I had the opportunity to lead a wellness workshop on medicinal herbal teas for Shanti's breast cancer clients. I wanted to provide the clients of Shanti with some easily accessible and inexpensive home remedies for some of the symptoms they regularly experience due to side effects of their chemotherapy treatment. There were so many interested clients that they had to offer the workshop in two sessions! The staff that coordinated the event even organized it so that all of the Chinese-speaking clients were together in one group with a translator to make it easier on me. The clients were so appreciative of the information I was giving and I felt completely supported by the staff. Shanti is a non-profit that gives offers support and health education directly to the people that need it most. I felt honored to be able to offer guidance to these receptive clients and to work with such a helpful and caring staff. I would recommend volunteering for Shanti to anyone that wants to make a difference in the lives of those with life-threatening illnesses in San Francisco.
On July 25, 2010, I had the pleasure of participating with a wonderful team of people in the San Francisco Marathon. Each person on our team worked hard to raise money for a great cause while being a participant on the Shanti Cares Team. Many of the Shanti employees ran in the marathon with the participants...which I thought was very commendable. This program was awesome! It motivated me to do something special to help others, while helping myself to become a better and healthier person. The Shanti Cares team training was very well organized, fun and motivational. It was nice to be a part of such a great organization that does fabulous work assisting those in need. I appreciate the hard work by the staff and volunteers. Keep up the good work Shanti.
I began supporting Shanti nearly ten years ago! I think they are a great organization. I have seen them grow, thrive, and support many people over the years. Specific ways I have helped include: hosting house parties, attending events, and filling a table for the annual gala.
I was diagnosed with AIDS in 1988 and told I would likely die within a year and I was angry and afraid of dying alone and in disgrace. I had read about Shanti's program offering practical and emotional support to people living and dying of this disease. I went and took the Shanti training in the early 1990's and my life was transformed completely. As the illness had progressed, I drank more and more and crossed the line from heavy drinker to alcoholic, and this two weekends of training gave me a new sense of hope and a window to recovery through which I entered and soon became involved volunteering with my own Shanti client as well as having my own Shanti volunteer and my physical health started improving as my emotional health grew. I experienced a world where men and women cared about one another with no expectation other than the possibility of helping another human being. I began a journey where I've come to believe in the infinite power of unconditional love and I'm forever grateful to Shanti for this great gift.
Shanti has been in my life for 4 years now. The level of concern and listening skills way surpassed my expectations. I've been a regular to the drop in on Thursday evenings which helped get me out of the house and into a positive and sharing environment. I've taken the L.I.F.E. course and changed bits and pieces of my health and behavior. (A good thing for me).
The staff has been so nice, loving, and caring. I grieve that this will not be around forever and hope that $ comes in to keep the programs alive.
What I'm really trying to say is... " Thanks to Shanti and everyone involved for helping me in my time of need" ..
Thanks so much
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I can't help but be thankful for all the support that SHANTI has given me and other people who have had issues with HIV+... Since I've attended the SHANTI L.I.F.E. work group, I've been more careful to take better care of myself (hopefully living better and happier). With the SHANTI group, I've also felt that I had a place to go when I've felt like a recluse. I've met so many good people THERE with hearts that hug. (my favorite) .. THANK YOU SHANTI!
Shanti has been a part of my life since I first attended the volunteer training in the early years of the AIDS pandemic. I can still remember the powerful moment in my training when I knew that my life had been permanently changed. Since that moment I have never regretted the subsequent years I have spent with the organization as a volunteer, a staff member in every area of the organization from volunteer coordinator to Executive Director, and a volunteer again. Since joining the organization in my late 30's to now in my 60's, Shanti has helped make me a better person. I have never forgotten each client that I was matched with in the early years and the life lessons they taught me. The lessons I learned from them were so rewarding to me that I have always felt that I've received much more than I have ever given. I have continued to learn from clients, volunteers and staff throughout the ensuing years and find myself very grateful for the life I've had compared to the life I might have had if Shanti had not come into my life. I am proud to be a part of the Shanti community.
I have been involved with several organizations as a volunteer, and they were and are all great, but getting together with SHANTI and its Staff, its Clients, and fellow volunteers has rekindled a desire to go just that extra in helping those who at the moment need a hand. Kudos to all who built this organization, and to those unselfish volunteers who give so much of themselves, it is my pleasure to work by your side.
I love Shanti and everything it's done for me. I wish everyone could go through their peer support volunteer training, this world would be such a better place. Shanti has helped me be a better person and give back to the community.
SHANTI has changed my life. From the training to the connections among the clients and peers, I am extremely overwhelmed with the fabulousness that is this organization. When becoming a volunteer, I never expected to also make knew friends and become a better person than I was pre-training. If this is what can happen in my life in 2 months, I am only ecstatic of what can happen over the next year.
Shanti is an organization that inspires its workers, its beneficiaries, and its volunteers. The training in Peer Support that I had through this organization provided me with valuable skills to be not only a better volunteer, but also a better listener and a better friend. Shanti seeks to be the difference between zero and one- providing the invaluable service of companionship and compassionate witnessing.
Shanti has been a major role in the San Francisco area helping people deal with HIV and everyday LIFE issues. I participated in one of their LIFE workshops and learned more about myself and how to better educate and take care of myself because of the program. The staff are amazing and well trained and extremely friendly, they also are non-judgemental and great at helping find other resources in the community to assist those who need them.
I have only begun to become involved with this organization and can already see the incredible impact it has on the community. For 35 years they've been providing the support that people need when they need it. Without Shanti, San Francisco would not be the great, caring city that it is.
Shanti is an amazing organization and I am thrilled that I was able to volunteer and see the impact they make first hand.
the shanti project is an incredible organization. they have a mission to help people in need, but they do so in a unique and original way. they put the needs of their clients first, and they listen.
Shanti is a loving, non-judgmental organization that provides a critical service to people living with breast cancer or HIV. San Francisco would be worse without it.
I feel proud to be a part of this organization. Shanti goes to great lengths to provide services and resources to those living with HIV/AIDS and breast cancer.
In April 2005, I was matched with an HIV Services client. I enjoyed my client match and the organization so much that I wanted to get involved on a higher level. In September 2008, I had the privilege of joining Shanti's staff as the Volunteer Services Manager. I still love this organization and fully believe in what we are doing in the community!
The Shanti Project is one of those incredible organizations that changes your life, your perspective and the community at large. Founded under the ideals of humanism and harm reduction is their most base forms, the organization strives to make an emotional impact on the lives of people struggling with HIV AIDS and breast cancer. I've been a volunteer for over a year now and cannot express how positively Shanti impacts both the community and my life. Props out to Kaushik and Mindy, and of course, Charlie Garfield. AMAZING!
From the very beginning, Shanti has always been there for San Francisco's HIV+ Community! I know so many people who are so grateful for the help and support they received from Shanti and their Shanti volunteers, and as volunteer, I know it made a huge difference in my life!
Shanti is a fabulous organization. For volunteer and client there is opportunity to form a close bond with someone. I didn't want a volunteer position where I just went in did hours and left. In my experience I was able to get to know my client well and help her with her practical and emotional needs. I was able to see first hand how hard it can be for a woman with breast cancer and how she is able to manage her life with four children and take care of herself. Shanti training, staff and my support group have also been a benefit to my experience volunteering.
I have always found the staff at Shanti to be inviting and friendly. They are supportive and promote an excellent atmosphere to learn about healing and support. I agree with other reviewers in that Shanti acknowledges and shows great appreciation to volunteers. My experience at Shanti has been many things: emotional, fulfilling, fun, educational, and more. Shanti provides a unique opportunity for volunteers to learn how to form potentially healing relationships. After training the staff will carefully match volunteers to clients. The processes and staff are organized at Shanti. I never felt confused about my role at Shanti, thanks to its good organization. Volunteer hours can be flexible. I recommend Shanti to anyone who would like to contribute to the community, to be a part of a great non-profit, to have the opportunity to advance in personal development, and/or to learn about healthcare.
Shanti is a fantastic organization with an attentive and friendly staff who do everything in their power to make sure their volunteers have a positive experience.
The organization itself is well run, friendly and flexible. The Shanti staff goes out of their way to support the volunteers, and make sure the volunteer experience is healthy and positive. Volunteers are carefully matched with clients whose needs fit the volunteer's schedule, personality and comfort level. The Shanti model of support is absolutely inspiring. It is based on the simple humanitarian principles of kindness and empathy. The basic idea is providing non-judgmental support for the ill, which can take many different forms. Some clients may need sympathetic listeners while others need someone to do the grocery shopping, or activity partners. I have been volunteering for Shanti for two years now. When I started the program, I knew that it would be a positive thing for me, but I had no idea how much my relationship with my client and my involvement in the organization would enrich my life. I consider volunteering for Shanti to be one of the best decisions I have ever made and I plan to remain involved with the project for a long time.
i searched for at least 6 months to find the volunteer opp where i thought i could most make a difference - and feel fulfilled personally. shanti has been more than i imagined. from the training (everyone should do this), to meeting and getting to know my client, to my peer support group, to the shanti coordinators - it is an incredible organization that truly makes a difference.
The service Shanti provides for the city of San Francisco is priceless. The staff at Shanit is made up of individuals who have a true passion and commitment to being of service, to individuals with life threatening illnesses. I have been a volunteer for three years and can honestly say that staff's commitment extends to all human kind. Their passion to be of service is truly from the heart.
Shanti exemplifies dedication, compassion, reverence, humbleness, friendship, professionalism, perseverance, community, and so many other beautiful things that this world needs. The one thing that stands out in my mind, is that it's a family atmosphere when you're with Shanti, so you automatically feel the love. Shanti is a great, wonderful organization that proves there are people who really care for those in need.
Volunteering for Shanti has been a profound experience of compassion, friendship and love. I've been privileged to spend two memorable years as a volunteer for my peer support client in the HIV/AIDS program. Left with very few friends and no family, he reached out to Shanti for a volunteer to be his companion and help him with simple tasks he could not do. The staff at Shanti are all wonderful and they make a great effort to acknowledge and show their appreciation for the volunteers. Shanti is more than a great nonprofit agency. It's a community of caring people who support each other give of themselves to serve others.
Shanti provides an excellent outlet to provide peer support to people in need. If you feel compelled to give back, Shanti is the place to do it.
I moved to the US from Scotland and was lucky enough to be able to find my new home in San Francisco. After a year, I realized that while there was plenty to do between work and play, I wanted to find a volunteer opportunity in San Francisco. A friend took me to a Volunteer Appreciation event in 1995 and the Shanti staff and volunteers I met made an immediate impression on me. Charlie Garfield, Shanti Founder, gave a wonderful and moving speech to thank volunteers for their commitment and hard work. Shanti has created a peer-support model that is now used throughout the world. It teaches how to listen, witness, park judgements outside, provide validation and emotional/practical support for clients who may have no other people in their lives. So, a month later, I signed up for 2 weekends of intense training, learning about the organization and how to provide support to people with HIV/AIDS. I'll never forget how the training put me in touch with new ideas, people from a great variety of backgrounds and knowledge of how to deal with difficult client situations. I was matched with a client a month later and there began a 13 year volunteer/client relationship, that has been one of the most rewarding relationships of my life. The support of the staff at Shanti, their deep compassion about the plight of so many who need emotional and/or practical support in the city has been incredible, through the years. For 10 years of my time as a volunteer, I decided to facilitate a group of volunteers as well. Frequent staff drop-ins, facilitation training and hours collection help to keep these groups going. They are important to providing an environment where volunteers can share experiences and provide support to one another. Like virtually every charity, Shanti has had difficult times financially, causing some staff turn-over and sometimes some major changes organizationally to survive. But one thing that never changes with Shanti is their ability to adapt, but continue to provide amazing services, training and support of volunteers who are incredibly inspiring. In terms of working voluntarily for a charity that in turn reaps unexpected life rewards, Shanti is second to none.