Aubrey Whitaker's Dive into Service: A Journey of Hard Work, Diligence, and Kindness

Aubrey Whitaker, an Ohio Member, has chosen to dive deep into service in more ways than one. After swimming for 22 years, including four years with her college team at Youngstown State University, she exercises the diligence and hard work she learned through swimming into her service year.

During her service year with the Ursuline Sisters Mission, Aubrey teaches Silver Sneaker's water fitness courses for older women. Aubrey also works with K-12 students who come to her site for after-school tutoring. During the day, she works with the immigrant outreach program that provides daycare assistance while parents take English courses.  Aubrey volunteered with the Ursuline Sisters Mission with their Immigrant Outreach program while she was in school, which is how she was introduced to AmeriCorps.

She enjoys being able to spend all day at her service site instead of just being able to volunteer in between classes.

“It’s such a welcoming team. There’s a passion there. They want to help. It’s nice to be a part of a team that sees a problem and works to find a solution to support the kids and adults.”

— Aubrey

Last month, Aubrey received an invitation from the Urlsine Sisters Mission to go on a mission trip to McAllen, Texas, to work with the Catholic Charities Respite center there. The service trip was an opportunity that Aubrey could not pass up.

As a college athlete, she didn't have time to volunteer, study abroad, or explore other places. Her connection with the Ursuline Sisters Mission through NDMVA allowed Aubrey an experience she had been waiting for. 

The trip gave Aubrey a different perspective on the families she works with through the immigrant services program at her service site. While in Texas, Aubrey learned more about what happens after immigrants arrive in the United States. One day on her trip, Aubrey helped prepare 800 sandwiches that would help to feed people who came through the respite center each day in need of a meal as they continued on their journeys. 

"The experience I had in Texas was different from what I had seen about immigration on the news," Aubrey said. She learned that once people get over the border into the United States, there are many steps they have to take and many unknowns. New arrivals may still need to find where they will live and work or even if they can find a job. Aubrey learned more about why people have to flee their home countries while she served with Catholic Charities. The experience was eye-opening for her. 

Aubrey's choice to dive deep into the lives of people similar to the ones she works with at her service site gave her a greater understanding of the people she works with every day. Aubrey expressed, "It humbled me more to see that you can't judge someone based on their experiences." Aubrey now understands that there is more to everyone's story than she can see.

“ As much as you want to help every single one of them. There are so many people–it hurts. It urges you. It makes you want to do more. I only want to help; all I have to do is give the kindness off my back.”