A Volunteer’s Experience: Hilary and Anna
Author, Allison Peart | 12/02/2021
Hilary
After two consecutive matches ended in disappointment, Hilary was unsure if she would ever connect with a friend. Then she met Anna. “I’m so glad I persevered,” shared Hilary, describing how well-suited she and Anna were for each other. Anna had struggled after parting ways with a previous volunteer, and experienced hesitancy matching with another friend. But Hilary, a trained crisis counselor for Crisis Text Line, was uniquely able to set Anna at ease and make her feel loved and safe. “I had no agenda,” says Hilary. “My only purpose was to be kind and supportive.”
Hilary’s commitment to Anna allowed a strong relationship to bloom. “Anna has been absolutely lovely,” shares Hilary, “I am in awe of her positive spirit.” Anna faces daily struggles from being handicapped, suffering from chronic pain and being an unhoused senior citizen. Hilary shares that Anna continuously fights to see the good in life. “I see Anna relying on her faith and looking for things to be grateful for,” says Hilary. While impressed with Anna’s strength and perseverance, Hilary longs for a better situation for her friend, and hopes Anna can participate in the Miracle Money program.
Seeing homelessness, mental illness, and human struggles escalate in the past decade, Hilary was driven to help others. Observing her husband’s deep relationship with his friend inspired Hilary to join the Miracle Friend program, where she learned what support could look like. “Our instinct as human beings is to want to fix the problem, but we don’t always know what’s best for that person.” Hilary believes being there for someone is believing in them and empowering them to get through crises: “It’s an act of unconditional love and acceptance. Sometimes it’s enough to just show up for somebody in their time of need.”
Hilary wants everyone to try the Miracle Friends program. “I want to encourage anyone who wants to make a difference to try Miracle Friends,” she says. “Homelessness is not just a statistic. It’s about human beings doing the best they can every single day. Everyone deserves to be treated with kindness and respect, especially those who are struggling the most amongst us.”
Anna and her dog, Chewie