Retired Scientist Brings Compassion and Creativity to Covey Youth Bob Winfree first came to Covenant House several months ago to offer a landscape painting workshop for our youth, but soon signed up to volunteer each week in our art room. He is a retired National Parks scientist and research manager who settled in Alaska about twenty years ago with his …
Mothers Helping Others
By: Kerry Reifel As a mother of two, Rachel Camm understands the challenges young moms face. That perspective is evident in her role as a volunteer mentor at Passage House, a program run by Covenant House Alaska that supports young mothers and their children. Rachel draws on her own experience raising kids to provide a listening ear, words of wisdom, …
Art, Empathy, and Advocacy: Keelan’s Volunteer Journey at Covenant House Alaska
Covenant House Alaska is “a breath of hope” she says. In regard to a problem that can feel insurmountable, seeing the day-to-day positive impact and efficacy of the transitional housing model has made her hopeful.
Making a Move to Mentoring
by: Kris Johnson Christi Meyn, an Anchorage native, has found her calling in volunteering as a mentor in the Rights of Passage program at Covenant House Alaska,. Christi admits that she can’t remember the exact moment of her first encounter with Covenant House. The presence of the house in the Anchorage community is so ubiquitous that it became a natural …
Service Beyond Boundaries
By: Kris Johnson In a world often marked by indifference, there are those who stand out as beacons of hope and compassion. Jacob McKessey is one such individual who, through his unwavering dedication, has become an integral part of Covenant House Alaska. His journey with Covenant House began with a simple desire to make a difference and has since transformed …
From New York to Alaska: Couple Drives Almost 5,000 Miles to Volunteer in Anchorage
By: Kris Johnson Sherry and Ted Hersey have always made it a point to volunteer in their communities. When the onset of COVID-19 led to lockdown, in-person interactions came to a screeching halt, so showing up to give back was no longer a possibility. The couple got online in search of a way to continue helping others. “Covenant House Alaska …
CHA Volunteer Spotlight: Aubrey Morgan
By: Kris Johnson Aubrey Morgan grew up around young people in need of support, her mom and aunt setting the example of giving back by including her in the work they did running a group home. So when a former Covenant House Alaska staff member overheard Aubrey expressing a desire to get back into volunteering, they both knew she’d be …
Volunteer Spotlight: Chinmaya Kathe
By: Kris Johnson In the early days of the COVID-19 Pandemic, the world had stopped, and while in quarantine many people began taking on hobbies and searching for ways to give back. Chinmaya Kathe is no exception. Signing on to VolunteerMatch.org, Chinmaya learned of Covenant House Alaska. “I was looking for opportunities to use my professional skills to volunteer and …
Volunteer Spotlight: Johanne Harrap
By: Kris Johnson When her three teenage daughters started to get older and find their own interests, Johanne Harrap says she began “looking for something with meaning.” That’s when she got involved with Covenant House Alaska as a volunteer. “My daughters are 14, 17 and 20. I have one at college and two at home. I realized I’m really almost …
Volunteer Spotlight: Nate Ward
By Angela Weiland The Music Room For Covenant House youth, having volunteers that consistently show up is immensely important, regardless of the skill or activity at hand. As a volunteer in the music room, Nate can attest to this fact! Each week, without fail, Nate shows up to the music room in order to provide a relaxing experience for youth to …
