CHA Volunteer Spotlight: Aubrey Morgan

Kerry Reifel Events, Mentor, Volunteer Stories

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.  

woman in brown shirt with jeans holding up a cell phone to take her own photo

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 a perfect fit for serving our young people. 

“Growing up helping individuals with special needs became a passion at a young age,” Aubrey said, adding that in high school she began working with Partner’s Club, a group that brings high school students and physically/intellectually disabled students together to provide sports training for Special Olympic Sports. She also volunteered at the Special Olympics. 

“I always had so much fun watching the kids smile and laugh. Seeing someone’s true happiness is such an incredible thing,” she said. “Sometimes I think we take the simple things for granted.”  Aubrey remembers going on home visits with her mom as a young girl. Her mom would coordinate a Secret Santa game every Christmas and Aubrey vividly remembers helping to wrap gifts and bring them to the kids in the homes. She says experiences like these made “fortunate enough to learn the meaning of gratitude at a young age,” and she hopes to pass the lesson along to her daughter. 

Being in the beauty industry allows her to help make people feel beautiful, a skill she says is fun for her. 

“So I thought, why not give back to my community and make everyone feel that way? These young adults already have so many challenges and obstacles they are overcoming, why not make them feel good doing it?” Aubrey said. “The confidence a simple haircut can bring back to someone is amazing. And watching people smile at themselves at the end gives you such an amazing feeling.” 

Aside from giving haircuts, Aubrey has also helped with prom at Covenant House Alaska, and is hoping to be able to get involved in other ways. 

“Being a new mom and a business owner keeps me so busy sometimes, but I read every email to see if there’s one of the volunteer needs I can fit into my schedule.” 

Aubrey said she also regularly keeps track of the work all the employees and volunteers are doing at the site. 

“They have built such a beautiful and welcoming community for our young people here in Alaska. The amount of time and work these individuals put in every day is inspiring! I hope to be able to give back just as much one day.” 

Microsoft TechSpark and Covenant House Ignite Economic Innovation and Opportunity

Kerry Reifel Events

Covenant House Alaska is excited to announce its collaboration with Microsoft TechSpark to promote inclusive economic opportunity, job creation, and innovation in Alaska. Through this partnership, Covenant House Alaska aims to address the challenges faced by vulnerable youth in the state and leverage technology to empower them for a brighter future.

Covenant House Alaska plays a vital role in providing shelter, education, and employment opportunities to young people facing adversity. With the support of Microsoft TechSpark, Covenant House Alaska will be able to enhance its impact and extend its reach to a broader audience.

Microsoft’s grant to Covenant House Alaska will fund a TechSpark Community Engagement Fellow, who will work closely with local partners to drive initiatives focused on computer science education, digital skilling, and digital inclusion. This Fellowship represents the first-ever TechSpark collaboration in the state of Alaska and reflects Microsoft’s commitment to supporting underserved communities nationwide.

Covenant House Alaska CEO, Alison Kear said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Microsoft TechSpark to create greater opportunities for the youth in Alaska. This partnership will enable us to leverage technology and innovation to address the unique challenges faced by homeless and at-risk youth, empowering them to build a brighter future.”

Kate Behncken, Corporate Vice President of Microsoft Philanthropies, highlights the significance of expanding TechSpark to all 50 states, stating, “we hope to continue our hyperlocal, partner-driven work to help communities realize the potential of technology and foster greater economic opportunity.”

Microsoft TechSpark’s expansion focuses on four key areas: digital access, digital skills, computer science education, and digital transformation. The program has already made a substantial impact in the eight communities it operates in, and Covenant House Alaska.

Covenant House Alaska provides a wide breadth of housing, education and workforce development designed as a one-fits-one approach to serving every teen and youth adult in need of our services to help them become the best versions of themselves.  Covenant House Alaska aims to break the cycle of homelessness and empower young people to thrive.

Volunteer Spotlight: Chinmaya Kathe

Kerry Reifel Events, Volunteer Stories

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. 

Chinmaya uses his skills to elevate the experience and help operations run smoothly for Covenant House Youth

“I was looking for opportunities to use my professional skills to volunteer and make a difference,” he said, adding that Covenant House’s mission resonated with his values and beliefs.

“I believe that young people are the future of this world, and supporting them during this

critical age can help them become better citizens of their community,” said Chinmaya. 

When he first connected with Covenant House, his work at our Alaska site was new, but he was no stranger to serving young people. Originally from Mumbai, India, Chinmaya came to the United States for his graduate studies at the University of Oklahoma, where he first got involved in youth volunteering through the Graduate Student Senate, an on-campus group that, according to the university’s website, “represents every student, giving them an official voice.” 

He currently lives in Portland, Oregon, where he works as a data analyst, a profession that requires skills he happily lends to Covenant House Alaska. 

Quickly adapting to the pandemic’s new normal — remote work — Chinmaya contributed to the site using his expertise in data analysis and Smartsheet, an online platform for managing tasks and projects. He also helped develop a mobile tool to manage the clothing room inventory and to meet the clothing needs of the youth. And, last December, he developed and managed a holiday gift registry for the youth.

Now, more than three years after his introduction to Covenant House, Chinmaya is still highly motivated to stay involved, consistently watching his email for volunteer opportunities and other activities taking place at Covenant House.

Even with all that he has done, Chinmaya said he is still “always looking for new ways to contribute to the amazing work being done at Covenant House.” 

“In the future, I would also like to participate in activities that allow me to interact directly with the youth,” he said.

Chinmaya doesn’t have plans to slow down his work in Alaska anytime soon, because he “appreciates the personal touch” site staff bring to volunteer coordination. 

“Receiving birthday or holiday cards from them makes me feel like a valued member of the Covenant House family,” he said.

Covenant House Alaska Welcomes New Board Members

Kerry Reifel Events

Covenant House Alaska is thrilled to introduce several exceptional individuals who have joined our board of directors during this past year. With a shared commitment to addressing youth homelessness and providing support, these dynamic leaders bring a wealth of experience and a diverse range of backgrounds to further our mission, enriching our board with their unique perspectives and adding to our overall diversity.

LeeAnn Garrick, Chief Operating Officer for Cook Inlet Tribal Council Inc. (CITC), brings over 16 years of leadership experience in the Alaska Native Tribal Health System. Ms. Garrick’s extensive knowledge and expertise in supporting vulnerable populations, particularly Alaska Native youth experiencing homelessness, will be invaluable to our board. She is also a CIRI shareholder and member of the Ninilchik Natives Association and the Kenaitze Indian Tribe.

Jennifer Tungul, Vice President, Alaska Operations, Matson Navigation Company of Alaska, is responsible for terminal and equipment operations across multiple Alaskan locations. Ms. Tungul grew up in Unalaska/Dutch Harbor and raised her children there as well. Her experience offers a statewide perspective, and her community involvement and commitment to inclusivity make her a valuable addition to our board.

Marilyn Romano, Regional Vice-President for Alaska Airlines, plays a crucial role in shaping the company’s strategic external relations, sales and marketing, and communications in Alaska. Her leadership experience and dedication to helping young people gain skills for successful employment pathways align perfectly with our mission. Marilyn has served on or is serving on the Rasmuson Foundation board, the Governor’s Aviation Advisory Board, Northrim Bank Board, and the Alaska Airlines Foundation.

Vinit Rajani, Manager of Strategy & Portfolio Management and Commercial for ConocoPhillips Alaska, brings more than 16 years of oil and natural gas experience to the table. His expertise in strategy, portfolio management, and his philanthropic work highlight his dedication to supporting vulnerable populations. Vinit grew up in India and credits his successes to the people in his life supporting him and desires to emulate that.

Ryna Lealai, a Youth Champion Fellow, has lived experience with homelessness and has become a passionate advocate for young people facing similar challenges. Her commitment to empowering youth and creating a sense of community aligns perfectly with our organization’s mission.

Elizabeth Pavlas, the Chief Operations Officer at Global Credit Union, brings over 20 years of management experience to the board. With her strong leadership skills and strategic decision-making, she will contribute significantly to our efforts in serving Alaska’s youth.

Rev. Matt Schultz, pastor at First Presbyterian Church of Anchorage, is a valuable addition to our board. With his background in theology and community engagement, Rev. Schultz brings a unique perspective and a deep commitment to service. His involvement with Christians for Equality, the Homelessness Leadership Council, and other advocacy groups further demonstrates his dedication to making a positive impact.

“The addition of these exceptional board members reflects Covenant House Alaska’s dedication to diversity and inclusivity. Their combined expertise and passion for making a positive impact will further enhance our ability to provide unconditional love, absolute respect, and relentless support to young people facing homelessness and survivors of trafficking,” says Alison Kear, Chief Executive Officer at Covenant House Alaska.

Together, we will continue to build bridges of hope for Alaska’s youth, empowering them to overcome adversity and achieve a brighter future. Covenant House Alaska remains committed to our mission of making homelessness for vulnerable young people rare, brief, and non-recurring. With the support of our expanded board, we are poised to make an even greater difference in the lives of those we serve.

Volunteer Spotlight: Johanne Harrap

Kerry Reifel Events, Volunteer Stories

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 past all the phases, and I think the teenage years are the hardest. So I think being part of an organization that serves predominately young adults, it just kind of appealed to me,” says Johanne. 

Johanne has lived in several countries and says, “Homelessness is something you can’t escape.” In her experience, it is a universal issue. 

She was born in Western Australia and attended university there for a little while before joining the Royal Australian Navy. She served for 19 years as a Maritime Warfare Officer, what would be the equivalent of a deck officer in the United States Navy. Johanne drove and navigated ships, and then specialized in submarines. She was part of the first group of women to become submariners. 

“That’s where I met my husband, who progressed to become  a submarine captain.” They moved often and work brought the family to England for two years, then back to Australia. After leaving the Navy, a new job led the family to Alaska in 2013 for three years. They then moved to  Houston, Texas, then  to Brisbane, Australia, just before the COVID-19 pandemic, and, finally, back to Alaska in 2021. 

“You can’t avoid it,” said Johanne. “We’ve lived in different countries, and we’ve moved around a lot. And no matter where you go, no matter what city, state, country, everywhere has the same problem, and I suppose that the younger group of people facing homelessness just sort of tugs even more at your heart.” 

She began volunteering at Covenant House Alaska in November 2022, diving right into the holidays. She describes it as “a really good environment to work in.” 

Holly Payne, Volunteer Manager at the site, said Johanne helped the staff manage their holiday registry by uploading youth requests, sorting and organizing gifts as they were received, decorating the youth engagement center for the holidays, and now helps them maintain the clothing room. 

“She’s dedicated over 59  hours since she began and isn’t slowing down anytime soon. Her organization skills have been a blessing and she is able to successfully accomplish tasks without too much direction,” said Holly. 

Johanne said the staff make it easy to want to return to help. 

“Everybody’s very friendly, helpful, and the staff that are there will go out of their way to show appreciation for volunteers coming in that day and to say ‘thanks, you’re doing a great job.’ Everybody’s very genuine and appreciative of your time. And I mean, obviously, you don’t do it to get thanks from people. But people coming in and helping out leaves the staff more time to actually focus on what they need to be focusing on, the young people.” 

Johanne has made volunteering at the site a family affair by including her daughters. 

“I think, especially in the teenage years, our kids become quite insular. And it’s all about me. So I think it’s important to get some volunteer hours in so that they can take the time out to actually go and do something that’s not about them. I think as teenagers, that’s probably the most important time to be able to do that. So when their schedules allow, I get them to come along and they always enjoy having the chance to help out.” 

Johanne has also gotten a friend to join her in volunteering, Holly said. 

“She has volunteered some time with her family and just recently brought a friend on board as well,” Holly said. “She’s done lots of work behind the scenes that allow our staff to focus on the youth. We are happy to have her on our team!”

Shining a light on one of our fabulous volunteers

Volunteer Spotlight: Nate Ward

coveyhouse Events, Mentor, Volunteer Stories

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 talk, connect and of course create some tunes!  

Nate’s Story

Nate’s story begins in Kentucky where he was born, before spending 8 years in Oklahoma. His parents then moved to Alaska in order to become school teachers in Kasigluk. After a few more moves around the state, Nate found himself in Anchorage to attend college!  

Volunteering at Covenant House Alaska

Nate first heard about Covenant House Alaska after working with CHA residents directly through his Pre-Med work at a local ER. Even before stepping through our doors, Nate was aware of our mission and the population we serve. As a Pre-Med student, Nate said he was encouraged to find volunteer opportunities. One of his coworkers had been volunteering in the art room at Covenant House Alaska, and he decided he would check it out too. After starting his volunteer service in the kitchen, Nate zeroed in on the music room and decided it would be a good fit. In January he will complete his first full year as a Covenant House Alaska volunteer!  

Nate has had a very positive experience as a volunteer and says lots of his time in the music room has simply been spent providing a space for youth to experiment on the piano or guitar. He did note a few occasions when he was able to spark the interest of a resident saying, “I’ve had a few different experiences where I’ve been able to just show them things and watch them learn and see things click and they’re like, ‘I can create music and I can start here’ and that’s just really cool.” Even teens and young adults are often told that they are too old to learn new things or that they should be focused on more practical pursuits like education. Nate’s commitment to opening the music room for our young people shows them that no matter their current situation or struggle, they are always capable and worthy of learning and creating.  

After feeling drawn to get out and give back to the community following the COVID lockdowns, Nate’s advice to those considering volunteering is simple.

“Try it. I’m coming in a couple hours a week and doing what I can to make a space for these kids and help out and I think a lot of people could do that.”  

Nate Ward, Covenant House ALaska Volunteer

Nate says he was nervous at first, worried he would say or do the wrong thing. And that might be the case for people who are on the fence about volunteering! But Nate assures you that those worries will subside, and there is only one way to find out – come on out and try!  

Start Volunteering Today!

On that note, if you’re looking for a change of bass, we would love to see what talents you have to share with our youth, so hip hop to it and apply to volunteer! Or at least keep us in the Bach of your mind!  

To learn more about volunteering at Covenant House Alaska, click here.  

Covenant House Youth Go Fishing!

coveyhouse Events

You can’t beat an Alaskan Summer. The fishing, the camping, the endless days – it’s incomparable. But for youth experiencing homelessness, this is far from their reality. Survival often overshadows the magic that comes along with the midnight sun. But thanks to our incredible community partners, our young people were offered a carefree, fun and exciting weekend on the Kenai. One of Covenant House’s amazing AmeriCorps VISTAs went along on the trip, and wrote about her experience. 

Fishing the Kenai with Covey Youth
Angela Weiland

I’m not sure where most people from the lower 48 first learn to fish but my guess is it’s not on the Kenai River in Alaska. A few weeks ago, I was able to take a trip with Covenant House Alaska and eleven of Covenant House Alaska’s residents to Soldotna, AK where I went fishing and caught my first fish ever! Our trip started with the drive to Manitoba Cabin where half of the group stayed behind to camp and relax around the campfire while the other half of us continued up to a cabin in Soldotna where we would spend the night and wake up to go fishing from very early the next morning.

Our evening in the cabin was full of excitement! Between jumping off a dock into a frigidly cold lake, playing cards and facing off in games of pool. The next morning at the early hour of 4 a.m. we were up and eating breakfast to prepare for our busy day. By 6 a.m. we were on the water, searching for the perfect spot to cast our lines and wait for our dinner to bite. Learning how to cast was enjoyable for me and I understand now why people fish as a way to relax. One of the residents caught the first fish of the day and jumped up and down excitedly, exclaiming that she caught one when it flopped into the boat. A few minutes later. I was just as thrilled when I pulled my own pink salmon up and out of the water. When we finished up on the Kenai, my group journeyed back up North to meet the rest of the residents and staff at Manitoba Cabin. After spending a cold and rainy morning on the water, sitting around the fire, eating smores and telling stories was the perfect activity to end the day.

As an AmeriCorps VISTA this was a very exciting trip for me to go on. Not only did I experience some very exciting firsts, but I got to know the residents as well as the staff outside of ‘the office’ so to speak. Seeing the residents enjoying themselves as well as the company of one another was an image that will be hard to forget. Many of them played a makeshift version of baseball, running around the rock bases they had placed on the ground, some listened to music and sang with one another, others chopped wood and kept a campfire going through the night. Not only was this trip a personally exciting one for me but I also got to experience the joy and enthusiasm of the residents as they tried new things, made new connections and rested in the company of friends.

A huge thank you to everyone that made this possible. At Covey, we provide the necessities, and we really rely on our community to provide the meaningful experiences that every young person deserves to have. A huge shoutout to:

Thank You To Our Covey Community!

Alaska Huts Association for the discount on cabins, APU for the discounts on rented backpacks, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, SUPs and inflatable kayaks, Trophy Drifters for the guided fishing and coordination of the second boat and nearby lodging, Alaska Boat Rental and  Kenai River Recon for guided fishing, Jolly Wally’s Seafoods for the fish processing,  Alaska Creel & Cartridge Lodge for dinner and lodging, and Southcentral Foundation for fishing licenses and transportation.

And of course, thank you to our mentors and staff who chaperoned and got our youth back to Covey safely! 

Volunteer Spotlight: Grace Blouin

coveyhouse Volunteer Stories

Aug. 12, 2022

By Sam Buisman – Covenant House Alaska Staff Writer

Most people are excellent at a few things or can do well at a lot of things. However, Grace Blouin is not like most people, with seemingly no limit to her excellence.

For years upon years, Grace has served at Covenant House Alaska with an unmatched enthusiasm for serving her community and a get-it-done attitude that has made her a phenom across a myriad of volunteer positions. Her grit is fueled by a calling to uplift her community and hometown of Anchorage, Alaska.

Grace described her volunteer career as how she pursues this noble avidity.

“That’s just how I view volunteering — that’s how we make things better, everybody coming together and giving it the old college try,” said Grace.

We could not be more thankful for Grace and all she has given to Covenant House Alaska and our youth. 

Hometown hero

Grace was born and raised in Anchorage, and according to her, she has no plans to leave anytime soon. 

“Every time winter rolls around, I say ‘This is my last winter here!’” said Grace. “But, I’ve said that for ten years, and I’m still here!”

However, Grace felt like she couldn’t ignore the problems she saw in town during a lifetime of living in the city, including its notable unhoused population. After coming of age, she began to ask friends and surf the internet for ways to volunteer around Anchorage. 

It was Grace’s roommate who recommended volunteering at Covenant House Alaska to her. After a little bit of research, Grace said what moved her to volunteer was the organization’s focus on the city’s youth. 

“I wanted to be involved with an organization that works with young people,” said Grace, “because catching those things early is how you can prevent it from getting worse, and Anchorage is pretty rough out there.”

So, in the spring of 2019, Grace took her time and talents to Covenant House Alaska, starting what would grow into a near half-decade of service.

Jack of All Trades

Grace is a Swiss Army knife of a volunteer. She applies her diverse skill set to a wide variety of roles at Covenant House Alaska with unmatched efficiency and hustle. 

After getting her bearings through organizing donated clothes for our youth, Grace has since helped prepare meals in our kitchen, participated in our Bookhunters program to get books for our youth, and volunteered to complete a litany of odd jobs around Covey. 

“I’m happy to be helpful over there in any way that I can,” said Grace. 

While she spoke fondly of all these positions, Grace singled out her time with our culinary staff as a particular source of joy. 

“I like it because it’s fun working with food,” said Grace, “and the people in the kitchen are so fun to work with. They’re funny, and they’re helpful and supportive.”

She is also a fixture of our special events at Covenant House Alaska, routinely joining our volunteer teams for our fundraisers, donation drives and the holiday season. We’ve seen Grace wrapping holiday presents for our youth in the dead of winter and packing donated salmon into our freezers in the dog days of summer. 

Leading by Example

For Grace, her willingness to take on so many different challenges at Covenant House Alaska reflects her can-do attitude and a passion for her community that drives her to serve. 

“I am a very strong believer in community and people needing to make a community better,” said Grace. “That takes sacrifice on everyone’s part, whether it’s free time, or money or resources.”

Now, after years of service, Grace can reflect on how she’s seen Covenant House Alaska — and through which her service — lift up her hometown.

“It’s been cool to see it grow and the impact that it’s having on the community,” said Grace. “Long story short, it’s nice to be a small part of that, doing the little things on the side to help people.”

While that quote demonstrates Grace’s humility, we won’t miss an opportunity to brag about her: She is a powerhouse at Covenant House Alaska, and her endurable hard work has made an incredible difference in our work and the lives of an untold number of young Alaskans.

Volunteer today!

Our doors are always open to new volunteers looking to join us at Covenant House Alaska. No matter your talents or availability, there is always a way to contribute to our mission of ending the experience of youth homelessness. 

Grace channeled her inner Nike sloganeer when asked about deciding to volunteer at Covenant House Alaska.

“What’s that corny quote, ‘the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is now?’” said Grace. “Just do it!” If you would like more information about volunteering at Covenant House Alaska, visit the Volunteer page on our website here.

Volunteer Spotlight: Theresa Rodgers

coveyhouse Volunteer Stories

By M. Main – Covenant House Volunteer Blogger

Theresa Rodgers is a long-standing volunteer who has been with Covenant House Alaska since they opened their doors. 

Originally from the Northeast United States and currently a nurse with the Alaska Native Medical Center, Theresa moved to Alaska on a two-year work contract in 1986 and never left. Upon arrival, she quickly found a volunteer opportunity with Covenant House Alaska and introduced a good-natured dog to connect with residents.

Theresa’s attitude toward her volunteer work can be explained by her philosophy of “a little extra.” 

“A little extra is whatever people have to give,” said Rodgers, “time, money, fill in the blank.”

Aiming for extra

While the dogs Theresa has introduced have come and gone, her commitment to giving a little extra remains steadfast. 

Originally, Theresa saw an opportunity to help produce a volunteer newsletter, but more recently she has been in a supportive kitchen role. She says it keeps her feeling youthful and is quite rewarding. 

From washing dishes to filling fruit cups and baking all manner of tasty treats, no task is too big, small, or surprising, and Theresa enjoys them all.

To Theresa, this is her way of giving back to a community she loves. 

“I don’t have any kids, and I don’t want to be a taker my whole life,” said Theresa. “I’ve been very fortunate, and you can’t just keep everything.”

A helping paw

A particularly memorable moment came about almost by accident. 

Her dog Shamrock – able to make friends, play keep away, and be held by kids – was sitting on the floor with a resident. Theresa went over to ensure all was well and overheard the resident talking to the dog about a difficult life. 

“This was something only an animal could provide,” said Theresa, “the bridge.”

Volunteer today!

Theresa claims one of the biggest hurdles faced at Covenant House Alaska is an acute shortage of volunteers. She encourages those considering the opportunity to look at it as just that: an opportunity. 

“It’s a chance to be fulfilled, to do something meaningful,” said Theresa. “This is not time-filling work, but something more. Covenant House Alaska needs you no matter how much time or skill you may have. There is a place for you no matter what.”

If you would like to find a way to volunteer at Covenant House Alaska, visit the Volunteer page on our website here or contact Volunteer Coordinator Holly Payne at volunteer@covenanthouseak.org or (907) 339-4261.