Volunteer Appreciation

"Megan Lyons"

Megan Lyons and her family are dedicated volunteers at the Good Neighbor Center. Megan originally contacted the shelter inquiring about how we celebrate birthdays for the families that are homeless or if there was a need to provide snacks or cook nightly meals. Soon after Megan came in and became familiar with our center she began buying gifts, writing cards and baking various birthday treats for those who were celebrating a birthday while living in shelter.
Megan’s commitment extends to frequent phone calls or emails inquiring about upcoming birthdays or holiday parties that she can help with. Megan makes a point to always involve her own children in everything she does in support of the Good Neighbor Center. While some parents prefer to give the gifts and treats to their children in confidentiality, others are open to having Megan’s family come in and celebrate with them. Megan understands and respects the different needs of each family.
Remembering and recognizing our volunteers is vital to the continued success of our center. Without them, we would not be able to continue to meet the needs of our homeless families with children. Megan and her family are prime examples of selfless givers. Their commitment to their community is admirable.
Taking a few minutes out of the day to say “thank you” and that “you are appreciated” is nothing compared to the time that Megan has given to the Good Neighbor Center. Thank you Megan for your ongoing dedication and commitment!


"Tanya Maldonado"

Tanya Maldonado is a dedicated volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center, and has been a part of our growing family since 2005. She originally started volunteering at the Clark Center where she helped serve meals to an average of 90 men. Shortly after her six year commitment there, she volunteered through St. James Episcopal Church and provided Thanksgiving dinner for the Good Neighbor Center.
An opportunity for a monthly commitment came open in 2009 to host a meal every month at the Good Neighbor Center, Tanya signed up immediately. This gives her time to plan each dinner according to the amount of residents in shelter and utilize all of our donated food. There are several times that Tanya can reflect back and know that what she is doing is making a difference in many people’s lives. Often she remembers cooking a dinner and having some of the homeless families ask to help prepare the meal with her.
Tanya enjoys helping others.  She has spent many hours volunteering her time at the Suicide Crisis Hotline. In addition she works full time as an Employment Counselor at Portland Community College. Tanya recently began dedicating her time after work on Thursdays to come to the Good Neighbor Center and meet with the residents helping them explore job opportunities, assist them in writing resumes and learning to discover their hidden abilities. Tanya has touched so many lives in special ways with her natural talent to make people feel self worth in even the darkest of situations.


"Parisjat Banomyong Umscheid"

The Good Neighbor Center relies on many volunteers to do different tasks here at the shelter. Everyone plays their own part so that we can better serve the homeless families in our community.
Parisjat is from Thailand and at an early age Parisjat learned the importance of giving back to society. Last year Parisjat started a charitable organization named after her grandfather, “My Pridi Charities”. They have various events throughout the year to help raise awareness for local charities as well as The Mercy Center in Thailand.
Parisjat has been serving as a volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center for quite some time now. She came in donating items one day and inquired about helping out in any way. She was very open and willing to help in any way that she could. Since then Parisjat has helped with holiday parties, volunteering in our summer school program bringing sack lunches and coordinating activities for the children to do and all along having her own children involved. Currently she is coordinating a family triathlon in September to help raise money for the Children’s Program at the Good Neighbor Center.
Parisjat has been an exceptional model to those in her community. Several of her friends and neighbors have come in to the shelter to donate items off our current needs list as well as household items for the families moving into apartments.


"Rico Micallef"

Rico Micallef has been a dedicated volunteer here at the center since Mother's day in May of 2008. Rico and his family have participated in many different projects here at the shelter in addition to their monthly commitment of hosting dinner the second Sunday of every month.
In November 2008, John Micallef, Rico’s son built a chain link fence that surrounded the playground area for his Eagle Scout Project. The fence was a great addition to the shelter grounds creating a safe enclosure for the children to play in at the center. Rico and his son have shown a magnificent display of leadership and compassion for the community in the years they have been volunteers here at the shelter.
 One of Rico’s most memorable moments was, after about a year at volunteering at the shelter, he and the kids were preparing dinner and women came by and said "hi". She looked familiar but Rico did not recognize her until her daughter sat down with her for dinner. It turned out her daughter was a good friend of Rico’s daughter, although they had lost touch. The daughter had spent the night many times at their house, and Rico’s daughter, Maria, had spent the night at her house, celebrated birthday's together etc. The mother had lost her hair due to chemo, and was being treated for cancer. Rico’s words were, “It just struck me, how we think we are on top of the world, and that we would never be homeless, that is something that happens to others”. But how many of us have the financial resources to be unable to work due to  fighting a life threatening illness like cancer for an extended period of time and be able to make ends meet? People end up homeless for a variety of reasons, and many times for reasons beyond their control. It was a humbling experience for Rico and his family, and demonstrated to them that we are making a difference helping people get their lives back together.



"Ida Wilkes"

The Good Neighbor Center relies on many volunteers to do different tasks here at the shelter. Everyone plays their own part so that we can better serve the homeless families in our community.
Ida Wilkes has been serving as a volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center since we opened our doors in 1999. She came in as a meal host serving with St. James Episcopal Church. Prior to that, she served as a dedicated volunteer in the basement of the Tigard United Methodist Church where the shelter originated.
Serving meals at the GNC has been a favorite for Ida, in addition to serving on the Good Samaritan Committee for her church. She comes to the shelter every month getting a list of our current needs. For over 10 years Ida has faithfully come on the third Tuesday of every month making the famous meal of homemade turkey, stuffing, mash potatoes and gravy. A hot meal always seems to put a smile on the faces of the adults and children in the house, as well as Ida. Networking with other nonprofits and food banks, Ida has also been known to be a terrific helper distributing excess food items.
While Ida has memorable moments from the GNC, all the “thank you’s’” and compliments on meals served has been the best reward from her service work here at the shelter.
In addition to serving at the Good Neighbor Center for many years, Ida also worked at St. Mary’s Home for Boys after she retired from teaching full time. Later in her career, Ida decided to go back to school and get her Masters of Special Education. She drove a special education school bus in the mornings and went to school at night. Juggling many tasks at once, Ida still remained faithful to her church and to volunteering on a regular basis.

"Jean Stevens"

Jean Stevens is a dedicated volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center, and has been a part of our growing family since 2005. She originally started volunteering through the Lions Club, where she helped provide meals to the homeless families.
The Lions Club picks different organizations to help support all year long, not just during the holidays. Being an active member with the club, Jean was inspired to branch out and involve more of the community. Soon after, the Tigard, Lake Oswego and the King City Lions rotated quarterly meal host commitments here at the shelter. This gave many new people an opportunity to help out and experience the joy in serving the homeless community.
In 2008, a monthly meal host commitment came open and Jean decided that it would be a perfect fit for her. The first Wednesday of every month Jean brings kielbasa kabobs, this is a known favorite for residents and staff. In addition, Jean spends time volunteering at the local Tigard Senior Center.
Jean has inspired many people, her generous heart and strong will is shown in all she does. Jean was forced to raise her children independently years ago, when there were fewer resources like the Good neighbor Center. Jean understands what it is like to struggle in life.
There are many memorable moments that Jean can reflect back on, times that she will carry with her forever. A time when a small boy appeared in the kitchen asking simple questions, like “what are you cooking?” and “how do you make that?” Another time when a young single mother dishing up dinner for her two small children, then sitting at the table with them having her face buried in her hands. The hard times families face put a lot of stress on the parents. Often it is a result in the breakdown of the family system and young people with big responsibilities.
Remembering and recognizing our volunteers is vital to the continued success of our center. Taking a few minutes out of the day to say “thank you” and “you are appreciated”, is nothing compared to the time that Jean has given to the Good Neighbor Center. Thank you Jean for your ongoing dedication and commitment!
 

"Jay Leet"

Jay Leet is a dedicated volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center, and has been a part of our growing family since 1999. He originally started volunteering at the Tigard United Methodist Church, where he helped provide meals to the homeless families.
Specializing as an English teacher at Tigard High School, Jay had the goal of getting kids involved in service work. He put up a sign-up sheet in his classroom and encouraged the children to give a helping hand by doing several activities in the local community. Some of the activities included going to the retirement community and hanging up Christmas lights, going downtown and serving at Meals On Wheels and once a month cooking dinner at the family homeless shelter, the Good Neighbor Center.
Jay has set a great example for many growing adolescents all around him. One boy in particular sent him a lengthy letter expressing his appreciation for the opportunity to give back. He had never been taught the importance of helping others and after the experience with Jay, he now had been shown that there are people out there that are less fortunate and need help. We can all learn from the superior example that Jay has displayed.
After retiring as a teacher in 2004, Jay continued to coordinate volunteer projects for the Tigard High School Key Club. A memorable time for Jay was when 25 high school kids volunteered their time at the shelter painting the back half of the building. A couple of the students felt compelled to use their talent in one of the rooms, spending a total of 48 hours painting a mural of the majestic mountain tops of the great Northwest.
Remembering and recognizing our volunteers is vital to the continued success of our center. Taking a few minutes out of the day to say “thank you” and “you are appreciated”, is nothing compared to the time that Jay has given to the Good Neighbor Center. Thank you Jay for your ongoing dedication and commitment!
 

"Marge Henry"

Marge Henry is a dedicated volunteer at the Good Neighbor Center, and has been a part of our growing family since 2003. Marge provides childcare for the children in shelter while their parents attend different classes to help them to become confident and successful.
Marge first started volunteering when she was 13 years old in a small town called Jasper in the Canadian Rockies. It was then when she discovered that volunteering was her true passion and she has continued to volunteer ever since.
Over the years, Marge has accumulated many items to aid her in the mission of entertaining the children. Marge carries a medium size bag with her, it contains puppets, games, bubbles and even pretend menus with cut-out food so that the kids can act like they are serving in a diner. It is a huge hit with the children so much that Marge has thought about insuring her precious bag so that it would be safe in the case of a mishap.
Teaching has always been something that Marge has loved. When her own children became of age, Marge began teaching 4-H Campfire girls how to do childcare. Sharing all the do’s and don’ts and at the same time spreading the incredible joy this has brought to Marge Henry.
Marge has touched many lives over the years and a good reminder of that was when Marge was doing some local shopping and heard a loud shriek. Catching her by surprise, out of nowhere comes running a little girl shouting “Grandma Marge, Grandma Marge!!!” The excitement that this little girl displayed holds a special place in Marge’s heart.

"Jim Jones"

The Good Neighbor Center we would like to recognize Jim Jones for his ongoing commitment and dedication to the shelter over the last 10 plus years.
Jim expressed interest in helping homeless individuals at a young age. His father worked on the railroad and Jim spent many days helping his dad. Jim was exposed to many of homeless men, their lifestyle encouraged him to get an education, but it also gave him a better understanding of what it was like to struggle and be without.
Jim Jones first started volunteering at the center as an overnight host several nights a week. Jim decided to fill the position as a monthly meal host for the third Wednesday of every month.
At first Jim, his wife Marci, and his son Alex cooked a variety of food, then after talking with a few residents, they expressed interest in BBQ chicken and it just so happened that is Jim’s specialty. Jim has been bringing BBQ chicken/mac-n-cheese dinner ever since and Jim says he hears “There’s the BBQ chicken man!” when he walks through the front door, it’s a definite hit around here.
Over the years there have been many memorable moments that Jim reflects back on with a smile. On one occasion, Jim was cooking dinner, a young woman asked for Jim’s assistance with a boyfriend who was giving her trouble. Jim went to get a “friend” to help him, defused the situation and Jim still chuckles remembering that heroic day.
Another time, a small boy was celebrating his birthday and Jim overheard the little boy’s brother saying that he wished he had a present to give his brother for his birthday. Jim then took a trip to the local toys store and purchased a gift card for the boy’s birthday. The family was delighted and the smiles are ones that Jim will never forget.

"Bruce Kaiser"

Bruce Kaiser is a dedicated volunteer here at the Good Neighbor Center. Bruce started volunteering his time here January 11, 2025 with the Kiwanis Club.
Bruce is a dedicated member of the GNC board of directors, also the coordinator for the Kiwanis Club, Men’s Methodist Group and the Sherwood Key Club. These groups are committed to serving dinner here at the shelter every month. In addition, Bruce goes and picks up the Oregon Food Bank order for the shelter once a month. In his spare time, Bruce comes by with his weed whacker and does the yard maintenance for the shelter.
Bruce stays motivated to serve as a volunteer through reflecting on various touching moments he has experienced at the shelter. One of these moments accrued when Bruce was walking into the kitchen with the OFB, he witnessed teacher Tom teaching a single mother “life skills” that this woman had never been taught. Another time, Bruce overheard Tom teaching a single father how to create a job resume. It is moments like these that we are reminded of all the ways we serve and touch people’s lives in different ways.
 

"Roger and Becky Petit"

Roger and Becky Petit are dedicated volunteers here at the Good Neighbor Center. They originally started as a donors bringing in items to donate and were interested in what it was we did here at the shelter. After being informed they asked if they could sign up to host a dinner. Shortly after providing a dinner, a monthly commitment meal host slot came open and they jumped at the opportunity.
Roger and Becky have been providing a dinner here the first Thursday of every month since May of 2009. This entails coordinating a group of friends and family to cook for 30-35 homeless individuals once a month. They buy any food needed for the meal, prepare it and have it ready to be served by 6pm.
The shelter not only needs meal hosts on a regular basis, but we also need overnight hosts. An ONH is here for the primary purpose of emergencies only. Roger has spent 112 hours volunteering for this position in addition to meal hosting. Roger is listed as an emergency ONH in case someone cancels. Roger is very reliable and has come in on numerous occasions, last minute.
 

"David Aldridge"

David Aldridge has been a dedicated volunteer here at the center since December of 1999. He has devoted 322 nights, equaling 2,576 hours of his time here to helping serve as an overnight host. We rely on volunteers for this position on a nightly basis. If we were to have to pay someone for the hours of service, say a minimum of $10.00, David would have earned $25,760.00 for his service alone.
Some interesting information about David is that his address has changed four times during the 10 years, but his phone number has always remained the same. David played Santa Claus for the shelter in 2008 and he was in charge of gathering the presents together and putting them outside of the families doors. Inside one of the bags of presents was a talking toys that yelled some fun sound every time it slightly moved. So it was David’s task to get the toy to the back of the hallway without it making a noise and waking up the children and spoiling the surprise. David still gets a chuckle thinking back on that night, he had quite the time acting as if he was walking on eggshells.
There were weeks and months of continued discussion about the excess donations that we had at the GNC. We needed another nonprofit that would come and pick up. David suggested Desseret Industries and set up a meeting. D.I. is now a life saver to our center by coming once a week with a small semi and picking up all the excess donations from the week, in turn they provide to other families who are in need.

Remembering and recognizing our volunteers is vital to the continued success of our center. Taking a few minutes out of the day to say “Thank You” and that “You Are Appreciated” is nothing compared to the time that all our volunteers have given to the Good Neighbor Center. Thank you ALL for your ongoing dedication and commitment!