Sacramento Steps Forward (SSF) is focused on ensuring that individuals and families experiencing homelessness have access to housing, employment, health, education, and other resources for economic stability and improved quality of life. As the lead agency coordinating the Sacramento Continuum of Care (CoC), SSF is thrilled to welcome Kathreen Daria as its new Volunteer & Training Coordinator. She also serendipitously joins us in time to celebrate National Volunteer Month.
This is a new position for SSF and we are so excited to increase connectivity between our volunteers and provide training to our community.
In celebration, we sat down with Kathreen to learn about what she’ll be doing, her motivations for working in this industry, what she’s looking forward to achieving with SSF, and more!
What will you be doing at SSF?
We have a “ready and willing” community! I’m excited to engage with our ever-growing volunteer network and partners to provide our community with opportunities to serve our fellow homeless neighbors. My role will help leverage volunteers’ abilities and match volunteers to mission-aligned opportunities that also suit their own interests and needs. As we expand awareness of homelessness in Sacramento and as the field evolves, it’s equally important to facilitate learning forums that prepare our staff, providers, and volunteers. This part of my work will help ensure we have a high-quality, competent, and culturally sensitive work and volunteer force.
What motivated you to join SSF?
I’m joining at a unique juncture for SSF and the world, where we’re navigating this COVID/post-COVID environment. Coming from the global health arena, these times only emphasized my desire to immerse myself within the local community using my passion for service and advocacy. In the throes of COVID, volunteers across the globe modeled love, innovation, and resilience. I want to lead the same impact here in Sacramento. SSF opens the door for me to share my passion with others while also elevating our community by empowering people to use their time, talent, and treasure to make a difference in the world–no matter how big or small.
What do you wish people knew about homelessness?
Homelessness is a complex, persistent public health issue. No one out there wants to be questioning if they’ll have a safe place to sleep and if they’ll have something to eat. People experiencing homelessness aren’t all victims of poverty or laziness. So many are seeking employment or working multiple jobs trying to make ends meet. So many have escaped violent and traumatic environments, been rejected because of their sexuality, been displaced by natural disasters, neglected by the system, and forgotten because of invisible health issues. As the lead agency striving to eliminate homelessness, SSF takes a “housing first” approach, but aims to address these underlying challenges through its initiatives.
What are you excited to do in your new role?
I’m excited to engage a new wave of volunteers–including our youth! I also hope to create diverse opportunities with our partners to offer our volunteer network fun but evidence-based ways to serve the homeless, collaborate with homeless providers, and more.
Our community volunteers power our initiatives. They, along with our traditional workforce, are critical to fulfilling our shared vision to eliminate homelessness.
This National Volunteer Month and beyond, I aim to integrate a multigenerational community in opportunity development, recognize their commitment to service, and elevate their impact at SSF and in the community.
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We encourage you to visit our Volunteer page or contact Kathreen at kdaria@sacstepsforward.org if you’re interested in participating in future volunteer events. For updates on our current COVID outreach efforts in collaboration with our volunteers and partners, go to our COVID resources page. You can also sign up for our mailing list or check us out on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or Instagram to get the latest news on all things SSF and resources around homelessness.