I've been going to Thrive DC since May 2013, and each time I am blown away by the selfless dedication the staff shows for their clients. Any questions or concerns clients have are answered immediately, and the staff treats their clients as a part of their family. Thrive DC offers a wide variety of emergency and social services for DC's homeless population, from breakfast and dinner to personal care items to referrals to legal and medical clinics. As a volunteer, there are several work options that you can do, from helping out clients in the computer lab with writing resumes or just sending an email to checking mail to organizing, scanning, and filing. The staff is small and appreciates all the help that volunteers provide.
As a volunteer, I helped out in the women's dinner program. Each night, there is a different activity for the women to enjoy. I've line-danced, played bingo with, talked about serious topics such as homosexuality with, and watched movies with Thrive's women clientele. The women's program runs two hours long, so there is plenty of time to get to know the women in the program. Getting to hear about their lives is the highlight of the program, because these women all have a story to tell. After the activity and talking, I served dinner to the women, who widely vary age-wise and racially. Once dinner is over, the clients and I clean the dining area. Staff members such as Trenett and Clinton are truly dedicated to this program and ensure it runs smoothly. Two to three hours in the afternoon is not a large commitment, but it hugely impacts not just the clients, but the volunteer as well. I always leave the women's program feeling that I gained more from the experience than I could have imagined, and I always come back willing to help out and do more. Thrive DC is a wonderful organization that truly cares about community in an increasingly disconnected world.
Review from Guidestar