For his third year as a Homeless Stand Down volunteer, Gary Bullard (DuPont) was joined by his wife Keisha (Bolton Elementary), daughter Kelsi, and son-in-law Jim.
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But Gary wasn’t the ringleader: “My daughter found this opportunity on her own – she was the one who got Keisha and Jim involved. It makes me feel like I’ve done something right,” he shared.
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Check out the rest of our conversation with Gary and Keisha below!
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What motivated you to volunteer at today’s event?
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Keisha: Working in Cleveland, homelessness is an issue I see every day. I’m an elementary school teacher, and there are students in my class whose families are experiencing homelessness – many of whom I’ve seen at today’s event. It’s important for me to have an impact beyond the classroom, to build a new layer onto the relationship and let them know that I understand. Being able to take away someone’s troubles, even for a moment, is extremely powerful. This event also provides perspective – one wrong situation can lead to homelessness. It could be me. It could be someone I know. It’s very humbling, and it inspires us to lead with empathy in our day-to-day lives.
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Can you share how BVU has impacted your volunteer journey?
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Gary: I love being affiliated with BVU. Having an impact on the community you live in is important – and BVU is the place to go to make a difference in Northeast Ohio. BVU sheds light on the importance of volunteering and helping others in more ways than one. I went through BVU’s board matching program in 2021 and have since been able to make a difference on the boards of two local organizations. As I think about how to spend my retirement, I want to work with BVU to find new opportunities that have a direct impact on people living in the inner city.
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What advice would you give to someone who wants to get involved in the community but doesn’t know where to start?
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Gary: Establish relationships to know what the needs are – be a part of the community you’re helping. After volunteering just once, you immediately see the value; there’s no going back after that. So just try it. Don’t make excuses. We can all donate our time. If you can change someone’s life for even a couple of hours, it makes a huge difference.
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Thank you, Gary and Keisha, for setting an example of what it means to serve others!
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This post is part of BVU’s series of 2024 Homeless Stand Down volunteer spotlights for National Volunteer Week.