An Interview with Volunteer Nadia Kamar

How did you become involved with Heart House? A friend of mine told me about Heart House.  She started to volunteer at Sterling Point and suggested I add it as a location to send volunteers to as part of a program called "Weekly Projects" sponsored by the SMU student organization "Mobilization of Volunteer Efforts".  I was Weekly Projects Coordinator and, after visiting, thought Heart House fit in perfectly with our program.  After talking with Maryn, it was decided that I would also add Royal Oaks as a location.  I then started to volunteer at both locations and bring SMU students along with me.  

What are your thoughts about Heart House? 
I've worked with other afterschool programs and seen how they run.  Heart House is definitely the most effective and organized of the places I seen.  It's so important to provide children with a stable environment, and Heart House provides that.  Not every place does.

What are you impressions of the children of Heart House? 
The children are so diverse.  I've never seen so many children with so many backgrounds all under one roof.  They teach me just as much as I teach them.  I'm learning from them too.

What impact would you like to make with the children from Heart House? 
I'd like to change the children's idea of how far they can go.  I don't want them to just want to graduate from high school.  I want them to pick a subject they love and become a professor.  I want them to know that they can do it if they put the work into it.  You don't have to be from Highland Park to go to college.  You can be from Sterling Point Apartments.

Do you have any special experience with a child from Heart House? 
I feel close to Dinaya and Pichaya from Sterling Point.  I've eaten at the restaurant their family owns.  I also feel closeness to Carlos from Sterling Point because he seems to not have many people to play with or talk to because of the language barrier that he has.  From Royal Oaks, I often talk to Prince.  He always says hello to me when he sees me, and he always has something to talk about and it seems he's been waiting all day to tell me.

What do you hope to gain from this experience? 
I hope to learn a little about all the different kinds of kids.  I feel good when I have a conversation with a child, and we understand each other.  They can relate to me, and I can relate to them. 

Have you volunteered at any other non-profit organizations? 
Yes, I've had experience with many other non-profits.  Heart House is by far one of the best experiences.

Why do you continue to volunteer at Heart House? 
I've made meaningful connections with the people.  I feel like I belong there, and I feel like I know the people at both Heart House Dallas locations.  I continue to feel like I make some sort of a difference in the kids' lives, and it gives me the motivation to keep trying.

Become a volunteer angel like Nadia.  See how you can make a difference in a child's life in as little as one hour a week.  Check our out volunteer opportunities or fill out a volunteer application online today.

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