Volunteering at Eddy House, Fen’s Story of Care and Compassion

For many young adults, laundry is a dreaded chore. For Fen, a 23-year-old volunteer at Eddy House, laundry is a perfect way to give back.

In their eight months as an Eddy House volunteer, Fen has done mountains of laundry with a smile on their face. Much of this has been used to provide comfort for more than thousands of shelter stays for homeless youth in the organization’s emergency shelter and Community Living Program. Folding fitted sheets and pillowcases in the bustling laundry room below the shelter, Fen has been able to provide clients with access to clean and comfortable bedding in their time at Eddy House, but the task means something more.

“Before I came to Eddy House, I became severely disabled,” Fen shared. “At that point in time, I had a very different trajectory in my life, and I didn’t expect that the hardest thing for me to do would be doing things like that. I didn’t expect that the hardest things for me would be doing laundry or trying to get food or getting my clothes organized; very basic activities of daily living.”

While the activities may seem simple, Fen’s fatigue and mobility issues presented a challenge when they were looking for a way to give back.  At Eddy House, however, doing essential tasks has changed lives; Fen’s included. Driven by a love for mental health advocacy and being an engaged member of their community, Fen’s abilities haven’t limited their altruism, instead providing them with their own individual experience that places value on contributing with their best foot forward and with their capabilities in mind.

From meal service offered three times a day to sorting clothes in the on-site clothing closet facilitated by Good Shepherd, Fen’s volunteering has taken shape in a variety of ways. On days when they’ve felt less social or more fatigued, they elect to work in the clothing closet or in the laundry room. On days when they have more social energy, they bring their smiles and sociability to the meal service line. With this flexibility, Fen has been able to balance their own accessibility needs with the needs of clients, something that comes from understanding what it’s like to struggle with self-sufficiency.

“I’m having to deal with—as a disabled person—that the things that I can do are lesser and then having to realize if I’m doing it for other people, you understand the importance of doing those things,” they said. “When you have very little that you’re able to do every day, whether you’re disabled or you just have a lot going on emotionally, just getting those basic things done and off your plate—whether for yourself or for another person—is really essential.”

Eddy House’s accessibility has meant a lot to Fen, who found out about the organization during a time of their own insecurity regarding housing and finances.  During that insecurity, while Fen’s priority should’ve been caring for themself, they were faced with a challenge many people might overlook: finding a place that was inclusive in its approach to dignity and care.

Fen navigates the world not only as a disabled person, but also as a member of the queer community. As a queer community member, finding a resource that catered to their identity and provided them with their unique needs was important. Now Fen has found financial and housing security, those same values have defined their volunteering. As a volunteer, this value for working in an inclusive and caring space hasn’t wavered.

“I specifically really appreciated how it was open to queer people,” Fen said. “Eddy House, specifically, when I had heard about it as a resource, I really appreciated that in the initiation and stuff for volunteers they said be aware that we have, trans clients and be respectful of that. Like sorting out like gendered clothing in the clothing closet. I appreciate that there is like, awareness of that, that queer people are going to be in this community and trying to accommodate for them as well.”

For Fen, the general concerns and worries that accompany starting a volunteering job haven’t been the same as some may think. Instead, Eddy House gave them the ability to have an impact without placing expectations or unrealistic pressure on their contributions. Fen wants people to know just how much being able to contribute without unnecessary barriers has meant to them.

“I feel like it’s really just me showing up every day to do something that I would just already be doing for myself,” they said. “Sometimes I have a little extra energy, so then I come by here and I do it for other people. I feel like a lot of things are just small actions in life. So I show up and do what I can. It’s meaningful, I just show up and I try to do what I can to help people and that’s just a little bit of energy out of my week. I’m still able to do that, so I’ll do it as long as I can.”

Fen knows making the jump to volunteering is time-consuming and scary but urges potential volunteers to remember that whatever they can contribute is enough. Coming from a place where volunteerism wasn’t entirely possible, Fen was able to push themself out of their comfort zone and explore a sustainable and accessible way to give back, one that has made an unimaginable impact on Eddy House.

“It’s just doing simple things that you can do,” Fen said. “It really is going to be helpful to somebody else who isn’t able to do it that day. No matter how small that thing feels or appears to be, it’s going to be meaningful. I know that for anybody who is in a situation where getting simple things done is hard, I’m sure that you can appreciate doing simple things for somebody else as well, and Eddy House offers those things.”

Fen’s desire to contribute to the community they once saw themself in has meant being able to for their past self. By recognizing a gap in their own life and struggle, Fen brings the energy to fill that gap for themself and others each time they show up to work at Eddy House. 

“Showing up for people around you is not as hard as it sometimes might feel,” they said. “Sometimes it really is you’re just showing up and you’re just doing the laundry.”