Announcement
The IRC in Atlanta's volunteers are essential members of our community, as their work provides invaluable support to new Georgians seeking to rebuild their lives after surviving conflict and disaster. Hear from three of our volunteers, Sue Binder, Paul Parisi and Bob Gordon, below:
Sue Binder, Youth Futures Afterschool Program Volunteer
Sue Binder, Youth Futures Afterschool Program Volunteer
Why do you volunteer with the IRC in Atlanta?
I am a long-time financial contributor to IRC, especially to IRC in Atlanta. Helping people who have been upended by conflicts or disasters to rebuild their lives is critical for the affected people, for the US and for the world. It feeds my soul to be part of their journey.
What’s been your favorite moment volunteering with the IRC in Atlanta?
The best moments for me during my work as a volunteer are when students’ faces light up as they grasp a concept or get 100s on homework submissions.
What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about the people we serve?
I wish more people raised in the US had a better understanding of how much refugees have to deal with and how much resilience and hard work it takes to integrate into US systems—including schools and workplaces—and succeed.
Paul Parisi, Career Development Volunteer
Paul Parisi, Career Development Volunteer
Why do you volunteer with the IRC in Atlanta?
I have a strong connection to my grandparents who arrived here many decades ago. The obstacles they faced in their newly adopted homeland must have seemed insurmountable at times. They didn’t know the language. They had few marketable skills. They faced entrenched ethnic discrimination and ridicule. Yet, they persisted. This drive for a better life is a core value for the millions of immigrants who have arrived in America over the years, and who continue to come here every day. And most of them face far greater obstacles than my grandparents ever did.
What’s been your favorite moment volunteering with the IRC in Atlanta?
I worked with a young man who had arrived in the U.S. after losing both his parents to political violence in his home country of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He knew he would need more education and training to pursue his own dreams of someday working in construction. With that in mind, I helped him enroll in an adult education program in the Stone Mountain area. He stuck with this program and eventually graduated and received his high school diploma. He showed deep appreciation for the support he received from the IRC in Atlanta, but he never would have achieved this initial goal without his own drive, persistence and sense of purpose.
What’s something a client has taught you?
I think the most important lesson our clients have taught me is that we all have innate skills and gifts. But if these gifts are to see the light of day, it is up to each of us to demonstrate resolve and determination to make that happen.
Bob Gordon, Citizenship Class Volunteer
Bob Gordon, Citizenship Class Volunteer
Why do you volunteer with the IRC in Atlanta?
After retirement, I wanted to try teaching refugees, but I had no experience as a teacher. After receiving my ESL Certificate from Kennesaw State University, I was looking for a temporary volunteer position to gain the experience I would need for a paying job. I was able to get that chance at IRC, intending to stay with IRC for a month or so and get some resume credibility. Seven years later, I have no plans to leave. That change of plans is a direct result of the volunteers with whom I work and learn from and the staff that so generously support us.
What’s been your favorite moment volunteering with the IRC in Atlanta?
In addition to watching the students’ progress toward preparing for their citizenship interview, attending the swearing-in ceremony for our new citizens tops the list. It's consistent with our message that passing the test is only the beginning. Being a citizen is what we want for you.
What’s one thing you wish everyone knew about the people we serve?
The uniqueness of the stories our clients bring to us serve as an on-going reminder of how individuals and families can survive some of the worst times imaginable with grace and courage. It is a privilege each time we run a class to be so close to that level of inspiration.
If you are interested in volunteering with the IRC in Atlanta, check out our Volunteer Opportunities on our website and email [email protected] to get started!
To learn more about the work of the IRC in Atlanta and for information on how you can get involved with the IRC as a donor or volunteer, please contact Development Director, Heloise Ahoure, at [email protected] or 678-636-8941.
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