Volunteer Spotlight: Jamie B.

Inspired by her mother’s legacy, Jamie volunteers at the Mission faithfully, assisting the same vulnerable neighbors her mother, Cheryl, supported — homeless women and children. Growing up, Jamie remembers volunteering with her mom, passing out homemade sandwiches and lunch bags to people on the streets. “She did not mind getting her hands dirty. She would roll up her sleeves and help whoever needed help…. Since the 1970’s, she would canvas the streets and help homeless people on her own,” says Jamie.

Cheryl learned about the Mission through a volunteer activity coordinated by Universal Studios, where she was a manager. Being a single mom, Cheryl naturally gravitated to families in need, and after learning about the Mission from a coworker, Cheryl felt compelled to volunteer here.

“Once she found out what the Mission stood for and who they were helping, it really solidified for her that she needed to put her efforts here,” Jamie says.

Cheryl and Jamie volunteered in various Mission departments, from organizing the kitchen and serving meals to reading books and doing arts and crafts with toddlers. Sadly, Cheryl passed away in June 2019, so every June, Jamie donates towels, linens, and hygiene products. In November, Cheryl’s birth month, Jamie donates toys, other needed items, and $500 in gift cards.

Jamie has not only used her mother’s passing as inspiration to devote her own life to helping others, but has also used it to encourage her friends to join her. Instead of receiving birthday gifts from her friends this year, Jamie asked them to donate to the Mission. As a result, Jamie’s friends gave $500 to the Mission in her mother’s name. “Now that she is gone, it is my duty as her daughter to continue. I have a daughter now too…when she is older, I will bestow upon her everything that my mom has done for me and say to her, ‘Hey, it’s your turn to come up in this world and make a difference.’”