| Catholic Charities USA Names 2009 Volunteers of the YearAlexandria,
VA—On the eve of marking its milestone Centennial and in a year where
its work to reduce poverty in America has never been more
challenging—or more essential, Catholic Charities USA announces its
2009 Volunteer of the Year co-winners, who symbolize the organization’s
rich history of volunteer service and performance: Dr. William
Rainford, PhD,MSW, associate professor and chair, Master of Social Work
program, Boise State University, for his tireless work on behalf of
Catholic Charities of Idaho; and a trio of dedicated women—Elsa Amboy,
Melissa Kreisa, and Andrea Lee—for their refugee work with Catholic
Charities of Santa Clara County, in San Jose, CA. “Congratulations
and a heartfelt thanks to these four wonderful individuals who provide
witness of God’s preferential love for the poor and vulnerable in our
society,” said Rev. Larry Snyder, president of Catholic Charities USA.
“They are truly doing God’s work, delivering help and creating hope
day-in and day-out, without seeking anything in return.” Dr.
William Rainford, who has devoted much of his life and career to
community organizing and advocacy and serves as the lead legislative
advocacy volunteer for Catholic Charities of Idaho and the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Idaho, is honored as a 2009 Volunteer of the Year
for his development of a legislative email alert system, a legislative
intern program, and for his capacity and acumen in empowering parishes
to act as legislative advocates. Over the years, Dr. Rainford has also
assisted Catholic Charities of Idaho with the formation of a Social
Action Committee and was instrumental in the establishment of an
interfaith coalition—Interfaith Sanctuary Housing Services—that has
provided emergency shelter and social services to men, women, and
children in need. “He is a real team player and he is very
faith-based—that is his foundation,” says Christine Smith, MA, parish
and community partnership coordinator at Catholic Charities of Idaho.
“The work he’s doing in legislative advocacy may not bespeak that, but
it is where he speaks from—his faith.” Beyond his commitment and
help to the agency, Dr. Rainford has been an advisor and organizer for
a large group of low-income manufactured housing residents who are
speaking out for tenant rights and improvements. When local housing
park owners filed for bankruptcy, many low- income residents were
evicted from their manufactured homes. Dr. Rainford organized them to
educate the broader community about the resulting crisis and helped
them advocate for just housing laws that would protect tenant rights,
with a new 501(c)3 organization growing out of the effort.
Additionally, as part of his endless community engagement and spirit,
he and Catholic Charities of Idaho provide internship opportunities for
Boise State University students, enabling them to gain first-hand
experience with the social problems present in the community. His
social action email alert network has grown to include more than 500
members in the past five years, with Dr. Rainford himself often
functioning as the primary spokesman in parishes throughout the state
of Idaho, explaining the value of individual Catholics banding together
to express their thoughts and views on social policy as seen through
the lens of Catholic social teaching. As Dr. Rainford says, “The goal
of the network is to look for electoral support in telling the
legislators how to vote on issues important to the families we serve.” “When
I see him give legislative testimony, he isn’t there on behalf of
himself. He is there for other people,” Smith continued. “He has a
passion for legislative change that will benefit the underserved. He
uses his experiences, his humor, to bring people to life through his
testimony. He makes it easy to understand, to be a witness to the work
of Catholic Charities.” The leadership and commitment of Elsa
Amboy, Melissa Kreisa, and Andrea Lee has allowed Catholic Charities of
Santa Clara County in San Jose, CA, to create a broader network of
support and community for newly arrived refugees. The agency has been
recognized as one of the leading refugee resettlement agencies in the
county and is the only agency authorized to resettle refugees who do
not have an “anchor”(i.e. a family relative) in the community. In
the face of a brutal economic climate impacting the ability to find
affordable housing and entry level jobs for refugees who arrive with no
family to receive or support them, this triad of women representing two
separate faith-based communities stepped up to create an expanded
network of support and community for newly arrived refugees throughout
the area. “Elsa, Melissa, and Andrea spearheaded an effort in
their respective communities to generate a commitment of over $200,000
for housing for newly-arrived refugees,” said Ellen Dumesnil, division
director of Catholic Charities of Santa Clara County. “They are
incredible human beings who have recruited and galvanized a significant
number of other volunteers who now too are passionate about ‘welcoming
and helping the stranger.’ They have worked at all levels—with
individual refugees, with families and with the building community—and
they are both advocates and partners in this work.” Through the
efforts of all three, volunteer ESL tutors have been linked with
stay-at-home refugee moms, a new group of volunteers has been formed
solely committed to working with newly arrived refugees, and other
critical links and partnerships have been forged, such as a partnership
with Salvation Army to provide $300 vouchers to refugees and the
creation of an additional special Emergency Fund. “All three
bring different and unique gifts to their work and the commonality is
their passion. They never lose sight of the people, the human beings
involved, and the human touch that is essential for each and every
person,” Dumesnil further explained. “As an example, two young women
came here as refugees from Rwanda—one 17 and one 18—and had met on the
plane. The 17-year-old had an immediate loving foster home to go to,
but the 18-year-old was ineligible to be part of the same—she was
placed in our refugee transition home. She was lonely and confused
about why she too could not join the foster home with her 17-year-old
new friend. Thanks to the advocacy of Andrea, the 18-year-old now lives
in a loving home with a couple that will provide nurture and guidance.
Both girls now have support, community, and a bright future.” These
three women have collectively created a stronger, more energized
refugee program in the toughest of times with their passion and
persistence, building a broader network of caring and support for
refugees who come to the area with little more than the clothes on
their back and an indomitable belief in a new future. Catholic
Charities USA salutes and recognizes their volunteer contribution in
naming them as 2009 Volunteers of the Year. Dr. Rainford and
Elsa Amboy, Melissa Kreisa, and Andrea Lee will be honored and receive
their 2009 Volunteer of the Year Awards at Catholic Charities USA’s
Annual Gathering, September 24-27 in Portland, OR. The Volunteer of the
Year Award not only recognizes these 2009 winners, but also the
invaluable contributions and work of all Catholic Charities volunteers.
Volunteers nationwide are the backbone of the Catholic Charities
movement. Collectively, local Catholic Charities rely on more than
260,000 volunteers each year to serve nearly 8 million people of all
faiths and diverse needs. -30- | |