Local volunteers truly put their faith into action
Published 12:00 am Friday, October 29, 2004
Faith: A word that has been bandied about frequently during this election year. But for one group of local volunteers, it is more than a word, it is a way of life.
Faith in Action of the River Cities, based in Huntington, W.Va., is a chapter of Faith in Action: A nationwide interfaith volunteer organization of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation ministering to the non-medical needs of the elderly, chronically ill and the disabled.
Assistance is offered free of charge to residents of the Cabell and Northern Wayne counties of West Virginia and Lawrence County, Ohio, and is not conditional upon income, religious affiliation or lack thereof.
"The bulk of our volunteers are of the Christian faith," Laura Gilliam, executive director of Faith In Action of the River Cities, said. "ŠBut we're not just a Christian group. We don't provide relief based on their (care recipients) faith.
"Most, if not all faiths hold some traditions of 'do for others,'" she said. "We're tapping into the call for service in these groups."
Ironton resident Bernadette Kinney answered that call after hearing Gilliam speak at St. Joseph Catholic Church six years ago. About a dozen other congregation members did the same.
"I just wanted to volunteer and do whatever I could," Bernadette Kinney, a 70-year-old retired registered nurse, said.
Kinney soon began working with people referred to her by Faith in Action. One of those was 87-year-old Margaret Harris of Ironton.
"I transport her where she (Harris) needs to go," Kinney said. "I take her to the doctor, take her to church when she was able to, got groceries for her and run other errands for her. She had fallen a little over a year ago and broke her hip, so it's hard for her to get out now."
Kinney's own health concerns have prevented her from doing as much as she would like, however.
"I was still helping her (Harris) until about the last month or so, but then I started having knee problems and leg problems," Kinney said. "But I plan to get back to help with her."
Like Kinney, most Faith in Action volunteers assist with things like transportation, running errands, respite and companionship. But Gilliam said there is a shortage of volunteers to do other tasks such as yard work and light housekeeping/laundry.
The Huntington chapter has 110 volunteers ranging in age from college students to one individual who is 90 years old, Gilliam said. They determine the amount of time they wish to devote and the types of services they wish to provide. Free training is available throughout the year by the group's staff and other professionals.
For care receivers such as Harris, Faith in Action has been a godsend, enabling her to be more independent.
"I just can't say enough good things about it," Harris said. "It's wonderful."
Like most not-for-profits, Faith in Action faces economic challenges, Gilliam said. The grassroots chapter began in Huntington in 1996 with a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Funding comes from different sources, but the group relies heavily on the community for financial support.
In addition, the chapter is always in need of more volunteers. For her part, Kinney is eager to recommend joining a group like Faith in Action.
"I think they would enjoy it," Kinney said. "I think you get a lot more out of it than you put into it. (Volunteering offers) the satisfaction of helping people and knowing that you are appreciated."
For more information on volunteering, donating or referring someone for care,
call (304) 697-1274 or toll free at (877) 367-1271. Additional details about the nationwide organization are available at www.fiavolunteers.org.