Still fresh out of college, the 22-year-old works full time helping people secure a path out of poverty and recruiting college students to assist them.
Forrest, of Chicago's Beverly community, became a site coordinator for LIFT-Chicago office in the city's Uptown community on July 6.
"It's an organization that works to engage college students in combating poverty," Forrest said. "Our idea is that poverty is complicated, but getting out of poverty shouldn't be."
Clients set goals on what they want to accomplish, which could include finding housing, building a resume or applying for public benefits, and work with volunteers to get them accomplished, Forrest said.
They also find people willing to listen, he said.
"Clients love working with volunteers who are in college because they have a fresh outlook," Forrest said. "They want to be spending their time doing this."
Forrest's duties as site coordinator mainly involve volunteer recruitment, but he has also started assisting clients directly until more volunteers begin contributing their time in the fall, he said.
"I never taught anyone how to send an e-mail before," Forrest said. "You don't realize how impactful something like that can be."
LIFT, which also has offices in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and New York, draws a stable volunteer base by developing partnerships with universities, Forrest said.
LIFT's Uptown office works with more than 40 volunteers from Loyola University of Chicago and can assist five clients per hour, he said.
Volunteering at LIFT often becomes an eye-opening experience for college students, Forrest said.
"Everything you do in life from then on is about 'How can I make a difference?"' he said.
Forrest, a Marist High School alumnus, majored in international studies and geography at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.
The 22-year-old said taking courses such as urban geography made him eager to approach the housing and poverty issues he studied.
After graduating from Miami in May, Forrest got involved in the AmeriCorps National Direct program, which matches volunteers with national organizations meeting a community need.
Forrest said he admired how LIFT refuses to turn away anyone seeking help.
"I knew I wanted to do something where I could get my hands dirty," Forrest said. "My classes pushed me to work in an environment like this."
Once he completes a one- or two-year stint as site coordinator, Forrest said he plans to attend graduate school and perhaps go into nonprofit management or another job addressing one of the issues LIFT clients face.
"I thought I'd learn a lot and get some really cool experience," Forrest said. "I never realized how much of an impact I could have doing this."
Original Article:
Southtown Star, Fresh out of college and fighting poverty full time
Miranda Viglietti
September 23, 2010
