Volunteer Spotlight: Rebecca Croft
In February 2010, I received a call from an A-B Tech student named Rebecca Croft. She was interested in volunteering with Helpmate and expressed that she had a deep concern for the issue of domestic violence. She attended the volunteer training that took place in March 2010 in order to pursue hotline advocacy and other opportunities. During the training, she told some of her story related to her own personal experience with domestic abuse and it was then that we began to realize that Rebecca would become a positive force within our organization. The strength and determination she exhibited to get herself and her three sons out of the abusive situation was remarkable. In addition to her motivation to help victims and their children, it did not take long for our staff to recognize that Rebecca possesses an extraordinary optimistic outlook on life. Despite all she has been through, it is evident that she is grateful for every second of every day.
In July 2010, Rebecca shared her story at a Helpmate fundraising event called “Hope in the Handwriting.” We are thankful to her for telling her story in such a public manner. This took a great deal of courage, but Rebecca wanted to share her story in an effort to create awareness about domestic violence and Helpmate’s programs. Her goal is always to help people, to give victims hope, and to educate the community about the services available to victims and their children.
Rebecca began taking regular hotline shifts in January of this year. In the last few months, she has begun taking a hotline shift from her home every Monday evening. This has been tremendously helpful for our staff and we appreciate her consistency and reliability. Since Rebecca began her service work with Helpmate, she has donated over 150 hours to our staff and clients!
Rebecca was willing to share some information about her personal history with domestic abuse and her experience volunteering with Helpmate:
I became a part of the Helpmate Volunteer team in March of 2010 by way of a service project in a Psychology class at A-B Tech. The class was required to spend ten hours volunteering for a community service agency of their choice. Being a survivor of domestic violence, Helpmate represented an opportunity to give back to the community that is closest to my heart. In 1991 I married the person who would become my abuser over the entire next decade. After having three beautiful boys with this man, I finally gained support from an agency where I was living just like Helpmate and thank goodness I had strong support from friends and family. I am grateful that my three sons escaped alive in June of 2001. I was given a safety plan and an emergency cell phone to help in the process of getting out. I am honored to be part of a volunteer team within an agency that encompasses so much compassion and experience in helping women and children that are in the same shoes I was in only ten years ago. I stayed with Helpmate; Christy Price inspired me so much I even changed my education major to work toward being in a field where it is possible to make a difference in our community. Currently, I am happily married to my very best friend and we share five amazing teenage boys. I count my blessings that life beyond abuse has continued to help me grow as a wife, mother, friend, sister, and volunteer
