Volunteer Appreciation
/Click to enlarge photosOn Monday, August 8, over 50 people gathered in the fellowship hall of Ascension Lutheran Church to offer our thanks and praise for the 379 volunteers who served with CFNA during the past year.
Yes, 379! These wonderful people provided over 6,000 service hours for the benefit of more than 600 refugees during this period. Services included 121 ESL, citizenship and driver’s ed classes, 53 sewing classes, 50 after-school tutoring classes, 10 Peace Center renovation and improvement events and much more, including the formation of nine Friend a Family groups organized to help provide assistance to more than 57 recently arrived Afghan refugees.
Jen Janssen, who coordinates the Tuesday evening After School Tutoring program, presented Presidential Servant Awards to 10 students who volunteered significant time helping refugee kids with homework. Of that number, three were themselves new Americans, including Catherine Stanish, the daughter of CFNA Executive Director Rev. Dr. Stanish Stanley. The two others, Nyirumpe Fatuma and Rhoda Mapenzi, both from Congo, sang a beautiful song about Jesus in their native Swahili language and received a huge standing ovation from those present.
CFNA would not exist as we know it without the help of these and hundreds of other volunteers who have served over the years. Our sincere thanks go out to every single one of them. Most of all, we thank our gracious and generous Lord for His blessings!
If you feel led to serve as a volunteer, please fill out the volunteer service form provided here.
By Gary Schaefer, Operations Associate
Christian Friends of New Americans
