By Ann Talarek, Volunteer Engagement Coordinator
As a South Hills resident previously involved with refugee resettlement, I’ve known about SHIM for a long time. I remember taking refugee clients to SHIM’s original Family Center in the Prospect Park apartments in the early 1990s. At the time, I had no idea the scope of SHIM’s work!
I followed my other passion of horticulture and worked at Fallingwater for almost 20 years, helping to coordinate a small team of volunteers in support of landscaping projects. When I was ready to shorten my commute, I started searching for jobs in the Pittsburgh area and joined SHIM as volunteer engagement coordinator in 2022.
I am a volunteer myself, processing immigration paperwork and serving on the board of directors of the Pleasant Hills Arboretum. I even volunteered at SHIM during winter months when I was employed at Fallingwater and I had extra time off. During those experiences, I learned more about the breadth of SHIM’s work in the South Hills community. 
Working with volunteers is a blessing. Our volunteers are so giving of their time and skills, and they show such kindness to everyone in our community. They’re always willing to jump in and do what’s needed, devoting themselves hours each week to helping those less fortunate. I never knew there were so many generous volunteers right here in the South Hills!
One thing I love witnessing firsthand is the patience and positive energy they show to individuals and families accessing our services. They listen and emote such warmth that everyone feels welcome and more at ease. They are humble, empathetic and selfless. I’ve been surprised at the overwhelming gratitude that our volunteers have for their own lives and how they funnel that into supporting our clients. They’re a joyous group of people working as a well-oiled machine powered by positive energy!
Another benefit of getting to know our 300+ volunteers is hearing about their life histories and accomplishments. Many of our volunteers are retired and have interesting tales from storied careers, exciting travels, and meaningful personal experiences. They come from all different backgrounds- economic, cultural, and religious- to work together as one caring team.
For those looking to volunteer, one of the best things about SHIM is that there is a wide variety of tasks available. Whether you like physical labor, office tasks, working with kids, or sharing specific skills like carpentry or engineering, we have an opportunity for you. We’ve recently expanded volunteer opportunities to include recycling and composting initiatives, flower arranging, and job shadowing.
And did you know that volunteering is good for your health? Studies show that volunteering improves cardiovascular health and mental health. It helps you meet new people, make new friends, and connect to your community. While we aren’t a faith-based organization, many of our volunteers find us through their congregations. Additionally, our volunteers tend to invite their spouses and friends to join them, which enhances the familial feeling of our volunteer team.
I love finding ways to support the work we do by creating new volunteer opportunities. For example, when we expanded our recycling and composting initiatives, one employee was managing all tasks for the entire facility. Now, the tasks have been dissipated to 12 differently abled people who were looking for opportunities to learn job skills. Not only are they helping SHIM reduce waste- they absolutely love sorting items and completing repetitive tasks. 
Since the pandemic, the need in the community has grown. As we move our Family Center from Whitehall to West Mifflin, I anticipate creating more volunteer opportunities to help us serve an expanded service area. I’m looking forward to letting another part of the South Hills learn about what we do, both to help new clients and to recruit new volunteers.
I’m extremely grateful to be connected to such wonderful volunteers. I look forward to seeing them every day and I love meeting new people looking to get involved. I always leave a volunteer opportunity in a good mood, no matter how tough or messy the activity was!
Read more perspectives on our Blog page!
