National Volunteer Week falls in April every year, so it seems appropriate to take this month and celebrate Grant and the countless others who give so selflessly of their time and talents to Joy’s House – helping to put on events, spending time with our Guests, keeping our spaces tidy, and in so many other ways.

Meet Grant… 

Grant Millman, a sophomore at Bishop Chatard High School, knew what to expect when he chose Joy’s House for his Eagle Scout project (a sensory wall in our garden) because he has been around before. “I volunteered as part of a camp. I had a great time, and loved the atmosphere and the kindness if everyone.” He also knew that staff and Guests alike would greatly appreciate his expertise and his final project, and he wanted to give back to an organization that had given to him. “When deciding where to do my project, I remembered the positive experience I had and decided I wanted to do something to help support this organization and the mission.” It’s a funny relationship with volunteers – it starts with them doing something for us (time, talent, and care), so we already know that we will be better for having them around. But so many times, it’s like a circle forms and it’s impossible to know how many lives will be enriched because this one person chose to be a part of Joy’s House. As for Grant, we are grateful that he has given so much to us and can only hope that knowing us has made him a better young man. Because truth be told, he was pretty great right from the start.