Cherokee Family Violence Center: Serving
On a cold Saturday last fall, one of Stephanie Villasenor’s volunteer groups canceled because of the weather. She had a laundry list of projects that needed to get done around Cherokee Family Violence Center’s campus. After months of being unable to have volunteers work during the pandemic, jobs that usually get done once or twice a year hadn’t been done in over 18 months.
Stephanie is the Outreach and Volunteer Coordinator at CFVC, a nonprofit that works with individuals and families affected by domestic violence. She was eager to get their outdoor spaces cleaned up but wasn’t sure how much could be accomplished on such a cold day.
Enter: Leonard and his men’s group.
This group of nine men from Woodstock City makes serving a priority for their community group. Whether they’re helping an elderly neighbor who can’t take care of his yard or building a stoop for a local woman’s trailer, they find ways to serve their community several times a year.
After hearing about Be Rich Serve projects in church one Sunday, Leonard coordinated with his group and signed them up on the Be Rich website to go to CFVC. A few weeks later, they found themselves looking out on a rundown backyard on a frigid Saturday morning.
Stephanie remembers that she walked Leonard over and said, “This is our space, and it needs help. It needs hope.”
Leonard and his group sprang into action. They spread pine straw, pressure washed, and cleaned up outdoor furniture to make it a more welcoming place. They worked all day, getting everything done that Stephanie had planned for them and the group that canceled.
The group also noticed that the privacy fence had a few rotten posts and was falling. They started to repair it but couldn’t finish, so a few guys returned the next week to finish it. At a place like CFVC, having a safe and private space for their clients is essential, so the fence repair was a huge win.
“They’re just amazing dudes,” said Stephanie. “They kept telling us they weren’t doing it to get any credit. They were doing it to be the hands and feet of Jesus.”
“We believe we’ve been given talents and abilities,” Leonard said. “And we want to use them to serve others. We enjoy doing this stuff as a group.”
Leonard gave Stephanie his phone number and told her to stay in touch about future needs. Over the last year, the group has been able to come back to CFVC and help with repairs to their driveway and other small projects.
For Leonard and his group, Be Rich was just the beginning of a relationship that’s been a game changer for Stephanie and CFVC as they serve, protect, and restore vulnerable individuals in our community.
