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Keith Whittaker
Keith Whittaker hails from Basingstoke, England, in the southern county of Hampshire. He decided to volunteer with Heart House while spending two months in Austin visiting his girlfriend for the holidays.
The kids took to Keith right away. “They think I’m Harry Potter!” he says. “They like hearing me read. I strike a deal with them so if I read one book they read the next book to me. I’ve been impressed with how good they are at reading.”
When at home, Keith works for French automaker Renault and spends his spare time working as a Volunteer Advocate Worker for a local organization in Basingstoke called Speakeasy. There he helps adults with disabilities like Asperger’s, Autism and other mental health issues.
The children at Heart House have brought a change of pace in his volunteer life. He tells us “I have always been told how good I would be helping children so I feel this is something I can persevere with in the future. It is so rewarding after completing each afternoon with them all.” When asked what makes him keep coming back to Heart House, Keith says “I’ve always enjoyed helping people. To see the children having such a good facility to go to after school is a wonderful insight into how the future looks extremely good for each and every one of them. I will miss them.” Heart House wishes Keith a safe journey home as he returns to England in January. We will miss him and hope he can join us again next time he’s in Austin!
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