Meet Thalia Plummer

How did you get involved with Hands On Greater Portland?

I moved to Portland almost a year ago. I didn’t know anyone in the area and was looking to get involved with the community. I began searching for volunteer opportunities on the internet and stumbled upon the Hands On website. Once I saw how convenient Hands on Greater Portland made it to sign up for projects that worked with my schedule I began signing up for as many projects as I could.

How has your experience changed you?

Through volunteering with Hands on, I have met so many wonderful people and have become aware of so many amazing organizations that I would not have known about otherwise. Portland has a wealth of people that have dedicated their lives to helping others in need. I have gained a sense of purpose and so much personal satisfaction by being able to help these truly inspiring people and organizations. Volunteering with Hands on has enriched my life in so many ways and has restored my faith in the goodness of others.

What’s your favorite cause?

A while back I volunteered to “Cook a community Dinner at Raphael House” The Raphael house is a wonderful organization that provides housing for women and children that have been in abusive relationships. Twice a month, chef Dena Speer (A Le Cordon Bleu trained chef) and a group of volunteers cooks up a meal for the women and children that are housed at the shelter. Dena assigns a recipe to each volunteer and they in turn bring their ingredients and cook their dish on site with utensils and appliances being provided. This project was especially close to my heart as it involved doing something for women and children and really gave me a chance to get to know some of the families at the shelter and hear their unique stories. With this project you get to interact with the people you are helping and then you get to sit down and have a meal with them. It was nice to get to meet these women and children and hear their stories and see their gratitude for the volunteers that come to cook for them. Plus, when we were done cooking, we also got to enjoy a great meal!!

What motivated you to become a Volunteer Leader?

I have been very blessed in my own life and have always wanted to do something to “give back” but I have not always had the money to do so in any way I thought would be helpful. When I discovered Hands On and was asked to become a project leader, I knew that this was my opportunity. I was in a new town where I didn’t know anyone and I had a lot of time on my hands, I couldn’t think of anything more rewarding than using that time to give back to people that are less fortunate or struggling in some way. I could not have made a better decision.

Do you have a favorite observation made by a volunteer during reflection?

At a couple different projects I have had people express to me that they would like to get involved as project leaders or that have expressed to me that they have volunteered for a couple projects and it has inspired them to seek out a career working for non-profit organizations. To me, this is the most rewarding part of volunteering, that perhaps, in some way, my volunteering and the presence of the Hands On organization has inspired someone to dedicate their time,. or possibly even their life to helping make positive change in the world around them.

Learn more about how to become a Volunteer Leader!