Thank you, community volunteers
It's National Volunteer Week, which means an opportunity to recognize and thank our amazing community volunteers!
Like many non-profits, so much of what FIUTS does depends on the hard work, energy, and dedication of our amazing volunteers. Today, in honor of National Volunteer Week, we'd like to recognize the contributions of our community volunteers - local people in the Seattle area who take time out of their busy schedules to support global friendship and cross-cultural understanding in our community.
Our community volunteers do so many different things: They host students in their homes for up to three weeks to provide international visitors with a warm welcome and an introduction to U.S. culture. They serve as Friendship Connections to offer students and scholars from around the world a chance to explore life off-campus and develop a cross-cultural relationship that can last a lifetime. They connect with students as professional mentors during the World to Work program and host students for Thanksgiving dinner. And they help out at community events such as Wednesday Lunch, potlucks, and so much more.
Since our community volunteers work so hard to help students, who better to thank them than the students who have benefited from their dedication? Each year, when we ask for feedback about students' experiences, we receive hundreds of comments about amazing homestay hosts and Friendship Connections. Here are just some of the many things that students have said:
“I expected a place to stay, dinner together sometimes or maybe a trip but not this huge commitment the hosts made.”
“My host family helped my during my first few days in a new Seattle, far from my house, my family, my friends...I think this is an excellent and needed program, and I'll be always grateful to FIUTS and above all, to my host family.”
“I was worried before I came here, since this is a brand new environment to me. But my hosts' kindness help me feel not that lonely."
"My host were really like a family for me. I know I can count of them the rest of the time while I'm in Seattle."
"I have to say my host family is full of love. They are so kind and nice. They don't need to be rich or having a lot of free time. More about giving than receiving."
"I didn't imagine that people would be as kind as my hosts were."
"My host was very wonderful, thoughtful, and nice. They were always willing to help me."
"Having someone that tells you 'if anything happens to you, we're here to help you' when you are far away from your home is really meaningful and important."
"I thought I would miss home on the first night or sometime during the week, but I absolutely didn't, because my hosts were here for me anytime."
On behalf of the FIUTS staff and the thousands of students who benefit from the compassion, generosity, and hospitality of community volunteers throughout the year, thank you so much for all that you do! Your commitment makes a difference, and we are so grateful to all of you.
Not a FIUTS volunteer yet, but want to be? Check out opportunities to get involved: www.fiuts.org/community