For the present and the future

Whether it’s the middle of a pandemic or life as normal, people willing to give their time to help others are a blessing. Amber McKnight, a new Home of Hope volunteer, is one of those people.

“I’m from New Jersey but I came down here for school,” Amber said. “I’m in my second year of PT school at the Suwanee location of Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine

Amber said she found out about Home of Hope through an informational session at her school.

“Home of Hope stood out to me, so I went online and learned some more,” she added.

When she did, Amber found a place she wanted to give her time. 

Amber is no first-time volunteer, though. Through her time at HOH, she said she’s gaining experience that will help with her future career. 

“I want to go into pediatrics, so I’m trying to put myself where kids are,” she said. “Home of Hope is the third children’s organization where I’ve volunteered. 

But why did Home of Hope stand out to Amber?

“What makes Home of Hope different is the way they make residents’ new lives sustainable. It’s great that in their time here, residents learn to budget – among other things,” said Amber. “They gain the knowledge and skills they need to actually learn to sustain a new way of life.”

Not all shelters and other resources are like Home of Hope, though, and Amber has seen this with her own eyes. 

“At some places I’ve volunteered, there wasn’t much emphasis on life change,” she said. “I love that Home of Hope truly teaches these women life skills and how to use them. Rather than just handing them everything they need, Home of Hope ‘teaches them to fish.’ This helps to prevent backtracking into bad habits, and it proves to these moms that they can keep going and work themselves back up to their potential.”