LIFT Annual Report 2013: Building Strong Foundations | Page 17

Not surprisingly, it wasn’t always easy for the college senior
to handle these experiences without feeling emotionally
and physically drained. Laura credits Rachel Jones, Program
Coordinator at the Bronx office for reminding her: “Be kind
to yourself in order to be kind to others.”
In fact, at one point, the entire LIFT team rallied around
Laura after a mugger assaulted her. “Everybody was so
supportive,” she says. “Rachel visited the hospital with
flowers and magazines. There was always someone to walk
me to the subway.” The members of the English-language
conversation group she started made her a card—in
English—and eight days after the incident, Laura was back in
the office, helping them attain their goals. “It was great to go
back to work,” she says.

“Members are on top of
managing their own lives; they
just don’t always have all the
information they need.”

913

VOLUNTEERS

=

77,000
VOLUNTEER
HOURS

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