Missy Minor is a dedicated volunteer. Her enthusiasm was evident when within two weeks of moving to Boulder she started her work with the Boulder Carriage House, an organization that caters to Boulder's homeless and working poor. Apart from working "tirelessly in the kitchen" every week for the past fifteen months, she also shops for and loads 400-600 pounds of food, then delivers it to the Boulder Carriage House.

Boulder Carriage House offers more than basic services, solely accommodating for the survival needs of the homeless and working poor. The agency also believes in providing for comprehensive rehabilitation, thereby including employment assistance and more importantly healing services like counseling, acupuncture and art workshops.

Being a volunteer, especially a consistent one, opens up newer opportunities for interaction with clients. "I try not to solicit too much," she states humbly. This experience has made her "much more compassionate" and she now truly "understands the reasons for homelessness."

By preparing and serving meals to the clients at the Carriage House, Minor fulfills her "greatest joy in life." "I care very much for them and love to see them eat," she said fondly. According to Carriage House Operations Manager, Jacob Kuhns, "She has built friendly relationships with the clients, notes special food requests and often goes above and beyond her commitments to serve the clients of the Carriage House Homeless Community Center."

For information about volunteering with Boulder Carriage House or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.