Kelsey Reeder, an Alexandria, Virginia native, found out about LIFT from a family friend working at LIFT-DC. When she was accepted to Fordham University, she decided she would definitely look into volunteering with LIFT-The Bronx, but probably towards the later years of college. But after visiting LIFT-The Bronx at an orientation service activity, Kelsey says, “I immediately fell in love with LIFT’s mission and decided not to wait to apply to volunteer. I wanted to dive into the Bronx community as soon as possible and get outside of the gates of Fordham, and LIFT was not only able to help me get to know the Bronx community, but it helped build my awareness of the issues people in poverty face.”
After completing her first semester, Kelsey is thrilled to be doing real hands-on work. “Most of the organizations I volunteered with in high school only really had opportunities to come in and serve on the surface of the organization. I never knew if I was really making a difference in the lives of the people I served. I loved that LIFT would allow me to work one-on-one with people and actually provide real answers to their needs.”
Kelsey says that her most rewarding experience thus far at LIFT occurred with a client who was two months behind on her rent bills, and was anxiously searching for a temping agency to help her find a temporary clerical position. “I helped her create a list of temping agencies to call, but as soon as she called the first, she was in! The agency immediately told her that there was a clerical position open at the local hospital and all she needed to do was send her résumé in that day. This instantaneous success made my client so happy, not to mention relieved. After we wrote a cover letter and faxed it in with her résumé, my client told me that every night for weeks she had been saying, “Hey God. It’s me again,” and that all those prayers finally paid off because she found LIFT.”
Kelsey says that even though most clients’ problems are not resolved so readily, clients still find value in the support that LIFT advocates provide. She says that often by the time she works her way through a client’s situation, discusses their options, and asks about their goals, the first meeting has already come to an end. “At first I felt like I had failed to give these clients hope for a better future. But one of my clients told me once that although we had not found a solution to her employment issue, she was extremely grateful for the support she felt at LIFT and said it was nice to have someone to listen to the stresses in HER life for once.”
As a freshman, Kelsey is excited for what she can accomplish over the course of her next four years at Fordham and at LIFT. “I hope to make a difference in the lives of my clients during my time with LIFT. I also hope to provide support and a comfortable atmosphere for my clients, so that even when their struggles do not seem solvable, they know they have people who are willing to work with and help them.”
