For my interview, I sat down with Tara McConaughy, the site leader for the SON Ministries Kids Club, where I volunteered 105 hours from October through April. I asked her a few questions about Kids Club and her experience, and her opinions on volunteerism and the impact that teen interns like myself have had on Kids Club as a whole.
Q: How long have you been a part of SON Ministries and what made you want to get involved with this organization? A: “2 years. I was a teacher and did not want to continue to work full time. I helped out with the lunch program a year before at my school and looked for programs that I could work in and through a google search I was lead to SON Ministries.”
Q: How has SON Ministries impacted our community? A: “So many ways. One of the biggest is with the ESL program which gives moms the opportunity to learn English and have child care which can be a huge barrier for moms to be able to get a job. It empowers women which is a huge piece. A lot of kids are not involved in other extra curricular so this gives them a chance to get out together the house and socialize with those that are similar and different from them.”
Q: How does volunteering impact the teens that devote their time to SON? A: “It really opens your eyes to people that are different than you. Sometimes you feel like you are doing something good for those people but it’s not about that. It’s about developing relationships. At SON, it’s all about the we. It gives them leadership skills and job skills through the internship. We have expectations for teens just like we would if it was a job. I think that when you volunteer you get the chance to see and experience different parts of the community where you don’t get to see within the walls of school. Adults want to help grow a generation of people who care about their community and by volunteering as a teen, you are more likely to volunteer as an adult.”