Sharing your talents: Life Changes is in need of volunteers

RENO, Nev. (KOLO) -Our KOLO Cares Pillar Partner could use your talents as it continues to aid men and women in addiction and homelessness recovery.

On West 4th street in the heart of Downtown Reno sits Life Changes’ intake office. It handles some of the most critical essentials for clients. When a man or woman leaves jail, prison, or is sent by a referral partner, it is their first stop. It also serves as a hub to help them with resume writing, applying for jobs and other needs.

“If it wasn’t for Life changes, I wouldn’t be here today. I honestly had a suicide attempt and that’s what got me in the doors here and it has been non-stop amazing things ever since,” Phillip Stead explains. He’s a former client turned inspiration and is now employed as a Senior House Manager.

“I got to start helping people who were in similar situations like I was and that is more rewarding to me every day...being able to do that for other people what they did for me,” Stead adds.

This is where you come in. Volunteers are needed for receptionist and computer lab work, social services like helping with Medicaid and unemployment benefits. The staff could use financial experience offering guidance with maintaining a budget, paying off debt and investing.

“Honestly one of the big issues is plumbing, there’s lots of people, more than a regular household using showers, using everything,” Stead tells us.

Where are our handy Nevadans? If office work isn’t your specialty…can your company or civic group help on site at the almost 20 homes that house clients? Landscaping and property maintenance are constant.

“Two years later you get a letter like thank you for saving my life and all that kind of stuff and that’s what keeps I think most of us going in this business,” Jessica Blount says. She’s a Community Care Specialist and has been in this line of work for more than a decade. She guarantees your heart will be full when you offer your expertise, adding, “In how people’s mind changes and how focused they are in getting where they want to be in life, I think it would bring them joy.”

Giving the gift of time. It makes a major difference, as the weather warms and covid numbers improve, this agency welcomes your experience with gratitude and appreciation.

Here is a list of specific services needed:

OFFICE WORK

-Assistance with mock interviews

-Notary

-Receptionist

-Social services help with Medicaid, unemployment benefits and disability

- Financial literacy services (balancing budgets, investing, paying off debt)

-Life coaches, spiritual leaders and motivational speakers

-Homeless outreach

-Attorney

-Computer literacy

HANDY WORK

-Construction and property maintenance

-Landscaping services and donating yard tools

-Donated vehicles and bicycles

Donations for bus passes, Uber & Lyft services are a huge help as well.

Contact Sandy Finelli at sandy@lifechangesinc.org or Jessica Blount at jessica@lifechangesinc.org.

To learn more about the non-profit, head to https://www.lifechangesinc.solutions/.

Copyright 2022 KOLO. All rights reserved.