If you stop by our Fletcher Mission Center on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, chances are you’ll soon spot the trademark blue brim and handy clipboard of our one of our favorite community members-turned-faithful volunteer. Emilio, born and raised here in “H-town” as he refers to Houston, has been serving at Fletcher for the past year and a half. His regular responsibilities include receiving, sorting through and organizing donations for the clothing closet as well as yard work, setting up tables and chairs for waiting clients, and assisting Noe Ortiz, Fletcher’s director. “It’s a good job,” Emilio told me earlier this week. “It’s my turn to return back to Mission Centers after they helped me out first. I like to make sure everything goes OK; I like to know I’m helping everything to go alright.” Emilio speaks highly of Noe as well as of Gano director, Dora Hernandez, who was the first one to encourage Emilio to pursue a further connection with Mission Centers. “When I was going through some hard times, real hard times, you all helped me a lot,” Emilio remembered, “so I guess — it’s my turn to help you now.”

Although he enjoys and does well with the chance to help train and supervise other, newer volunteers during their first experiences walking clients through Fletcher’s weekly clothing closet appointments, it is Emilio’s familiarity with the neighborhood community that is of particular benefit. “A lot of people see me and everybody knows me,” he shared in a brief moment of conversation before resuming his sorting efforts through a recent clothing and furniture donation. “I enjoy what I’m doing.”

To learn more about how you could join Emilio and his bright blue, newly revamped Low Rida bicycle in his outstanding volunteer commitment with Mission Centers, look here: https://missioncenters.org/volunteer.html.