Getting Started

Initially I have hard a difficult time trying to schedule my time around to find a volunteer opportunity that fits my weekly schedule. I am still awaiting any response from Health Care for the Homeless about any volunteer opportunities during my free hours, and I have also contacted the San Jose Clinic and am awaiting a volunteer orientation that will take place this week. I have contacted the Legacy Community Health Clinic as well and am going to start volunteering at the Montrose clinic next week. I greatly enjoyed my time spend at the Legacy Clinic last semester and I look forward to more opportunities. At first, I wanted to choose a different clinic because I wanted to broaden my experiences, yet I spoke with the volunteer coordinator and I will be able to help out at a different Legacy Clinic. I still remember the things I learned from my time last semester at the Lyons Legacy Health clinic and I know that I have my empathy for those who I help now. I remember speaking to a man who had trouble trying to receive health care and talking to him about his situation. I have spent many hours in hospital and clinic settings during my life, but very few of them have been in underserved or in economically disadvantaged communities. I was shocked at the differences in the people's view of the clinic. At my cardiology unit at Kelsey-Seybold, the patients were well off for the most part, and it was not strange to hear a complaint or two about the long wait before being seen. Yet, at the Lyons clinic in the third ward, everyone there was thrilled that they were about to even be seen my a doctor and had no problem taking the whole day off to get the health care they needed. Granted, a whole day off work for these people was often a very hard thing to do, and would undoubtedly set them back a bit in paying their bills, yet in general, they were much more appreciative of the health care they received. This shed light on the different types of communities that I may serve in my future, and I know that my volunteer experiences will help me distinguish which communities I am meant to help.

Orientation, take 2!

My orientation at HHH was wonderful. I was happy just to see that there was a place as beneficial as Health care for the Homeless for the needy in the Houston area. I was surprised and happy that HHH offered many homeless people medical care, dental care, hot meals, and a place to do laundry and take a shower. Everyone that I met was very friendly, and many of the guests were very thankful for the volunteers and staff that provided them with these amenities. Sadly, there were not any openings for me to volunteer during my free hours. They accept volunteers during the mornings, and volunteers, being a very integral part of their clinic, need to be able to serve from 8-12am. The only time I was available was on Friday, and the coordinator said that she would let me know as soon as possible when a space opened up.

Meanwhile, I have contacted the San Jose Clinic and am awaiting an orientation with them! Hopefully I can find someone that can accommodate my schedule, and I am eager to begin helping and serving my community. I look forward for my orientation at the San Jose clinic, and look forward to helping out in any way that I can.

Awaiting Orientation

I am awaiting my orientation at Health Care for the Homeless, which is scheduled for this Friday. I am wondering what the experience will be like. I remember for my orientation for the Legacy Health Clinic, I watched a movie which increased my sensitivity for other cultures. The movie showed the lives of African boys who came to America and struggled with the new lifestyle and society. They had trouble getting jobs and functioning in the basic society and it shed light on my awareness. I learned that you never know the history of who you are talking to, and you don't know where they are coming from. I hope that my orientation at Health Care for the Homeless will leave me with as great of an experience as I had at the Legacy Clinic.