Volunteer Spotlight: Chinmaya Kathe

Kerry ReifelEvents, 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 ReifelEvents

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 ReifelEvents, 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

coveyhouseEvents, 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!

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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

coveyhouseVolunteer 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

coveyhouseVolunteer 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.

Volunteer Spotlight: Andrew Dahlin

coveyhouseMentor, Volunteer Stories

July 11, 2022

By Sam Buisman, Covenant House Alaska Staff Writer

It’s well known that seven is a lucky number, and we at Covenant House Alaska feel both lucky and humbled to have had Andrew Dahlin as a volunteer for the past seven years!

As a volunteer for five years and a mentor for the past two, Andrew has given uplifting guidance to our youth and outstanding support to our staff. His compassion for our young people is only matched by his dedication to them and their journey towards an independent future.

From his time at Covenant House Alaska, Andrew says that he has learned how powerful being a small but steady presence in someone else’s life can be.

“I think the thing that really makes the biggest difference is just being present and showing up,” said Andrew. “People see that, and I think that makes a surprisingly big difference for a lot of people.”

All of us at Covenant House Alaska are so thankful for the amazing gifts of time and talent Andrew has given to us. The work that he and our other volunteers do sends a message of love and support to our young people, and we are forever indebted to them for it. 

From Cali to Covey

Originally from sunny, southern California, Andrew moved to Alaska a decade ago for work, eventually landing at McKinley Capital Management. A world away from home, Andrew felt called to find a way to connect with his new community through volunteering. 

After finding out about Covenant House Alaska online, Andrew said he was impressed by how the organization balances providing care for our youth without constraining their autonomy. 

“It’s a really great program to advocate for the youth and let them be their own person and become the best person they can be,” said Andrew.”

One email exchange later, Andrew launched an impressive five-year volunteer career in the kitchen and classroom at Covenant House Alaska. He spent his time washing dishes and prepping meals with our culinary crew or tutoring our youth in math. 

Additionally, Andrew even found time to do some one-off carpentry projects for Covenant House Alaska, including building the gorgeous cornhole set that gets almost daily use from our youth in the summer!

Becoming a mentor

After an already astounding five years of service at Covey, Andrew decided to get further involved with our mission by becoming a mentor. 

For the past two years, Andrew has built a supportive and trusting relationship with a young person in our Rights of Passage program to help guide them through the throes of early adulthood. 

“The opportunity to go and talk to the youth who are still getting oriented to the world and figuring out who they are — it’s kinda cool to share the hard lessons you’ve learned so they can get the benefit of that moving forward,” said Andrew.

Throughout their time together, Andrew and his mentee have had outings big and small, from ax throwing and escape rooms to meaningful chats about the future. 

“Sometimes I’d just drop by [Covey] and get to chat with people and talk about life or whatever’s going on,” said Andrew. 

Furthermore, Andrew said that his mentorship experience has encouraged some healthy reflection and personal growth. 

“It’s a good challenge for myself as well,” said Andrew. “It gives you some perspective on your own life, looking back at where you were at their age and the struggles that you had.”

Presence and community

According to Andrew, he’s been able to find the connection to Anchorage that he was looking for through mentoring and volunteering at Covenant House Alaska. 

“When you volunteer, you get involved in the community in a meaningful way that you can actually see people and just be present in their lives and vice versa,” said Andrew. “It’s very grounding.”

Andrew says that this experience has taught him how simply being present in someone’s life can make a world of difference to that person as they work towards a better future. 

“It’s more like tending a garden than building something,” said Andrew. “You provide the environment for them to do well in, and they do the stuff themselves.”

Volunteer today!

Volunteers like Andrew are the rocket fuel that propels Covenant House Alaska to new heights of care. Our arms are always open for new volunteers to join our team!

Andrew urges those thinking about volunteering at Covenant House Alaska to take the plunge and jump in.

“Just show up! The first step is always the hardest, right?” said Andrew. “I think you’ll like it, and you’ll keep coming back.”

If you would like more information about volunteering at Covenant House Alaska, visit the Volunteer page on our website here or email Volunteer Coordinator Holly Payne at volunteer@covenanthouseak.org. 

What is person-first language, and why do we use it at Covey?

coveyhouseAwareness

May 27, 2022

By Sam Buisman – Covenant House Alaska Staff Writer

Eagle-eyed readers of our blog and social media pages may have noticed that we use the phrase “youth experiencing homelessness” rather than “homeless youth” — what’s up with that?

When reading or hearing “youth experiencing homelessness,” it sounds clunky and awkward compared to the sleeker “homeless youth.” It costs more space on a page and doubles the characters in a Tweet. So why do we insist on using this phrase? 

Person-first language.

At Covenant House Alaska, we make the deliberate choice to use “person-first language” when discussing the youth we serve, be it in person or our communications. This style of language avoids assigning labels to people to describe them, instead choosing to prioritize the person first and present details about them as a trait of that person. 

For example, in the phrase “youth experiencing homelessness,” the word “youth” leads, and their experience of homelessness comes across to the reader as a part of that youth’s larger identity. Other person-first phrases we often use at Covey include “youth experiencing trafficking” and “youth with disabilities.” 

Advocates have long maintained that person-first language humanizes the individual or group it describes by presenting details about them as a part of their larger identity. Labels, on the other hand, can subconsciously boil a person down to only what that label describes. 

In fact, research now shows that using person-first language can encourage more tolerant attitudes towards the people it describes compared to when simple labels are used. 

It’s a small change, but it goes a long way in emphasizing the autonomy and resilience of the young people we are privileged to serve at Covenant House Alaska. 

History of person-first language.

While it seems new-fangled, the use of person-first language has been around for nearly half a century in the US. 

The use of person-first language in the US was pioneered in the early 1970s by disability activists seeking to move away from label-centric language to prevent one’s disability from dominating their identity.

Their grassroots efforts snowballed into a 1974 conference in Salem, Oregon, that aimed to organize these activists into a cohesive movement. It was at this conference that attendees coined the phrase “people first” and launched a larger campaign to advocate for such language under this banner. 

At around the same time, Black activist groups also began introducing person-first phrases into their language. Historians point to 1977 as the earliest use of person-first phrases like “women of color.”  

While these phrases were intended to emphasize Black solidarity rather than personal autonomy at the time of their usage and were supplanted by terms like “African American” in the late 20th century, the Black community’s use of person-first phrases nonetheless helped popularize this language among activist groups. 

Around the turn of the millennium, people-first language began to spread beyond its original circles into the parlance of other activist groups that advocate for oft-stereotyped groups, including gender and ethnic minorities.

With the 21st-century surge of person-first language, such phrasing has re-entered the lexicon of Black activists via terms like “person of color” or “BIPOC.”

Academia has also embraced person-first language, with most academic journals now requiring their contributors to use this phrasing.

Now, person-first language has spread beyond its original activist spaces and into mainstream speaking and writing practices, including ours at Covenant House Alaska and across the network of organizations that provide services to the unhoused.

Why does this language matter?

Moving away from simple labels and using person-first language is a small but important way to encourage empathy between people with different backgrounds. This makes it an essential tool as we work in the field of youth homelessness. 

The human urge to label others doesn’t necessarily come from a place of malice. Psychologists see it as our brain’s attempt to simplify the complex world around us into something easier for us to understand. 

Yet, this can have the unintended consequences of defining people based on, and thus emphasizing, their differences. 

Categorical labels like “the homeless” or “homeless people” implies that people experiencing homelessness are fundamentally different from people who are housed — a separate class of people who will permanently be without shelter. This puts distance between these two groups and can discourage people from taking action on this issue.

While this may sound extreme, studies on person-first language demonstrate this link. 

In a 2016 study, researchers gave two groups of participants an exam measuring their tolerance of people with mental illnesses. One group received an exam written with people-first phrasing (“people with mental illnesses”) while the other received an exam with categorical phrasing (“the mentally ill”). 

The participants who received the people-first exam exhibited significantly more tolerable attitudes than those with the categorical exam towards people with mental illnesses. These findings were consistent when these exams were given to young adults, older adults and even professional disability counselors. 

Person-first language at Covenant House Alaska.

With its advocacy-steeped history and lab-proven effects, we at Covenant House Alaska strive to use this language to affirm the personhood of our youth, encourage their acceptance in our community, and inspire activism within our readers. 

Our principle of unconditional love compels us to do everything we can to serve those in our care with the dignity they deserve, even if it is something as small as being a little more careful in how we talk. 

If it uplifts our youth, we will do it  — even if it means it’s more difficult to Tweet. 

Volunteer Spotlight: Heidi and Mike Valantas

coveyhouseVolunteer Stories

May 20, 2022

By Sam Buisman – Covenant House Alaska Staff Writer

One of the greatest perks of Covenant House Alaska is getting to see exceptional people rise up to do exceptional things. But when the husband-and-wife duo Heidi and Mike Valantas come in to volunteer, we get to see not just one, but two of such people!

While Heidi and Mike have a long history of volunteering at Covenant House Alaska, they currently serve as the house mentors for MACK House, our transitional living program for minors. Their teamwork, resourcefulness and boundless compassion have ingrained them in the hearts of the young people who reside there.

Heidi said that the simple act of just being there for these young Alaskans can sometimes be the most meaningful.

“For some of these young people,” said Heidi, “to have a person in their life that’s not being paid to be there and genuinely cares about them, I think that that’s a huge thing that people can do.”

It is a blessing to have Heidi and Mike as part of our Covey family. Their work at MACK House exemplifies our principle of unconditional love and brings joy to some of Alaska’s most deserving young people. 

Retired from work, but not from service.

After the two of them coincidentally moved to Alaska as teenagers, Heidi and Mike met while attending the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The college sweethearts tied the knot and built a life in the great state of Alaska, with Heidi working as a teacher and Mike as a physician.

According to Heidi, her favorite parts of teaching foreshadowed her involvement at Covenant House Alaska.

“There were a lot of things that I liked about being a teacher, especially working with young people and helping them find their way and being involved with their growth,” said Heidi. “It was just a natural progression to Covenant House.” 

One fateful winter, they received an invitation to Covenant House Alaska’s Fire & Ice Ball. Impelled by our mission and the community’s need, they decided to get involved at Covey. 

Heidi joined the Fire & Ice committee to organize the same event that inspired her and joined our mentor program. Mike started volunteering to do odd jobs around our various facilities. 

When the duo was able to retire in 2020, they decided to use their newfound free time to increase their involvement at Covenant House Alaska.

Mike said that while they may have retired, they still felt the same drive to serve others that motivated them in their careers. 

“I still felt the need to help people and take care of people,” said Mike. “I felt like this was the perfect way to continue to serve and give back.” 

Mainstays of MACK House.

Now, the couple serves as the official house mentors at MACK House. At least once a week, Heidi and Mike spend hours visiting with the young people staying there or working on projects to spruce up the building. 

Together, the two have organized volleyball, cornhole and other games with our youth, led cooking nights, decorated for Christmas and Easter, and worked on other various projects and forms of upkeep to make the house feel, as Mike puts it, “more homey.” 

“We just started poking around and finding different ways that we could help out!” said Heidi.

Mike said that enjoys how the role encourages the two of them to work as a team and lean into their individual talents to succeed at such a variety of tasks.

“She’s better with people,” said Mike, “and I’m more of a worker.”

Through these activities, Heidi and Mike have built meaningful relationships and shared tender moments with our youth. In an instance that Mike said was “hard to put into words,” the pair and a young woman decorated a Christmas tree using ornaments that belonged to Mike’s mother. 

“The young lady we decorated the tree with, she really got into it,” said Heidi. “It was neat to have that moment with her — I thought that was a really special moment.” 

For the duo, these indelible experiences are part of what makes their volunteer work at MACK House such a fulfilling experience. 

“I think you get way more out of it than what you put into it,” said Mike.

Closer to the community and each other. 

By spending time at MACK House, Heidi and Mike have felt their connection to their community mature like a fine wine. 

The pair said that they catch tiny glimpses of the effect their volunteering has on our youth. Be it in a quiet word of encouragement from a young person, or how another emerges from a sulk when they’re invited to help cook a meal, these small clues to the difference they’re making keep Heidi and Mike riveted to our mission.

“Even though you don’t feel like you’re doing much,” said Mike, “I think it does make more of an impact than you can appreciate at times.”

On a more personal level, the couple said that volunteering together has been a meaningful bonding experience as husband and wife. 

“It brings us closer together because we have a common goal to help others,” said Mike, “and we’re supporting that by volunteering.”

Volunteer today!

We are so thankful for Heidi and Mike’s incredible contributions to MACK House and our mission of ending the experience of youth homelessness in Alaska. This goal is only achievable with the support of volunteers like them, and we are always looking for Alaskans who want to get involved! 

Heidi strongly recommended mentoring at Covenant House Alaska but stressed that the organization can find an opportunity for anyone interested in volunteering. 

“There are so many different things that you can do, whatever your time or talents,” said Heidi. If you would like more information about volunteering at Covenant House Alaska, visit the Volunteer page on our website here.