Rockstar Volunteer: Kalmia Beets

Kalmia Beets has excelled as a Volunteer Leader at Family House these past seasons. In the summer of 2016, she was able to pursue her interest in volunteering at Family House.   As a student at University of San Francisco, Kalmia majors in Child Psychology/Pre-med.  Her interests are dancing, baking, cooking, sewing, and outdoor sports and activities.

 When Kalmia was young, she lived at a Ronald McDonald House.  As such, she has been able to give her unique awareness of what families face during treatment away from home.  Kalmia understands that having a system of support surrounded by a strong community and a “place to call home” is an essential part of recovery and the essence of Family House.

Kalmia has been a remarkable asset to the Family House volunteer team. She understands the workflow of the house and how the team operates. When the volunteer team needs support, Kalmia is always able to bridge the gap. She can work independently, yet at the same time, she can skillfully manage individual volunteers, volunteer groups, and volunteer activities - without hesitation. 

We want to thank Kalmia Beets for being an outstanding Volunteer Leader and being part of what makes Family House so special.

She continues to make a valuable impact on all of us at Family House. 
We appreciate her drive, her compassion, and her courage.

Learn more about volunteering at Family House at http://www.familyhouseinc.org/volunteer

Volunteer Spotlight: Brian Lee

As a student at the University of San Francisco, Brian’s undergraduate program includes a set number of service hours to be completed at a local nonprofit. Brian first heard about Family House through fellow USF student Joey Jordan, the ACE Program volunteer leader for the 2014-2015 school year.

Brian is currently majoring in biology and pre-med, with hopes of becoming a dentist after graduation, and was seeking experience at a nonprofit with a focus in the medical field. He already has quite a bit of experience working with children - he is a Dragon Boat coach for teens ages 13-18 at his former high school in San Francisco.

Much of Brian’s time at Family House has been focused on highly detailed database work for our annual end-of-year appeals, as well as preparation work for our biggest annual fundraiser in February, Cabernet for Connoisseurs.

Brian loves to read and cook for his family, and his attention to detail and quiet humor have been an invaluable asset to the office staff at 50 Irving Street. He even volunteered over his winter break between semesters. Thank you, Brian!