N.Ky. gives back to its communities

NEWPORT, Ky. - The homeless community gathers every night, coming together for the same reason: a hot dinner and smiling faces. And the reason they can is because of volunteers.

A new Kentucky Health Issues Poll (KHIP) shows that more than half of adults in the Commonwealth volunteer in their communities.

That statistic is evident at Henry Hosea House in Newport, Ky., where annually more than 400 volunteers serve dinner to about 150 homeless adults and children, seven days a week, every day of the year.

Rain seemed to keep the normally large crowd away, but not volunteers like Dolores See, of Camp Springs, Ky., who has been volunteering for more than 50 years.

“Ever since I can remember really, even when my children were in school, I volunteered as a teacher’s aid in school—it’s a part of my life.”

Kids line up for their after-dinner brownies, but only once they eat their veggies. As the evening wears on, folks take their dinner trays to the two volunteer dishwashers and a mother wipes her toddler son’s mashed potato-filled hands.

“It just gives you a good feeling to know that to get out and see that you are making a dent in the poor in the world. Every little bit helps. And a lot of people, just if it’s only an hour, here or there, it does help a lot of organizations,” said See.

The recently released 2010 KHIP found that more than half of Kentucky adults reported that they had volunteered at their place of worship or a local non-profit in the past year. And nearly one in three adults had worked on a community project.

“It is encouraging to see this level of participation, especially compared to national statistics, which show that only about one in four Americans volunteered in the past year,” said Jennifer Chubinski, director of community research for The Health Foundation.

It’s volunteers like See that keep Hosea House open said Karen Yates, executive director.

For See, the reason she's involved is simple.

“I think it’s important to give back to other people, to help out wherever you can,” she said.

With only three staff members, two of which are part-time, Hosea House depends on the generosity of others, said Yates. Without them, “we couldn’t function.”

The Newport soup kitchen has served more than 887,000 meals since they opened their doors 20 years ago.

Hosea House will celebrate its 20th year serving the homeless community in May.

Learn about how you can volunteer, visit Hosea House, click here.

For volunteer opportunities in N.Ky., click here.