Volunteer Profile: Vanessa Hannessey

What part of the province do you live in?

Edmonton

How and why did you first get involved with JHC (the community response initiative)?

A friend of mine got involved and asked if I wanted to step up as it was moving fast and they needed extra hands. I said yes, because I hadn't lived in Edmonton that long and I wanted to meet more people and also help out others in need.

What is your current role within JHC?

I'm on the admin team of the YEG Response to COVID-19 Facebook group.

What are your (volunteer) activities and what do they involve?

The admin team helps to keep everything running smoothly, oversees the moderators of the group, makes decisions on how the group is run, and steps in when there are questions about posts or activity on the group. I also took over monitoring the schedule, and was in charge of creating a new schedule when we decided to reduce the hours the team would be active on the page. I also have helped with the ISO initiative, helping to keep track of requests coming in, who is getting help, and what kind of help they are getting. And I have done lots of deliveries and donations to those in need!

How long have you been a part of the community response initiative?

Since March 2020.

What's it like to be a volunteer for this cause?

I have met amazing people. The moderating and admin team of the Facebook group have been some of the most selfless, driven, and helpful people I've met. I learned more about JHC during the process, and am so impressed and inspired by Renee and her hard work and dedication. 

What has surprised you most about working on this community initiative?

The fact that COVID-19 made such a huge difference in people's lives, in terms of their employment and livelihoods. It was staggering how many people lost jobs or had changes in income, and at a time when the government could have shown they really cared about people, they kind of phoned it in, in many ways, and it caused many organizations to come together in Edmonton to pick up the slack. But I'll get off my soapbox now...

Are there any learnings/ challenges you have experienced through this work? Please tell us about those

I have learned that sometimes going out of your way and shaking things up in your world to help others is worth it. This group has taught me that doing work to help others is something I am passionate about, and I don't think I'm ever going to stop.