Ingrid began volunteering in 2008 after being introduced to Youth Challenge in 7th grade at St. Raphael’s. She has blossomed into a strong veteran volunteer who serves as a model to our new volunteers. This year, Ingrid was ranked in the top ten volunteer group for the most hours served for the year with 140.5.

When I think of YC, I think of…

Fun, happiness, including everyone.

People should get involved with YC because…

it is good for everyone to do because it helps you view people with disabilities in a different way and I think it teaches good things.

My awareness for various disabilities has developed through my experiences at YC because…

if I see someone in the community, I don’t see their disability. There is someone at school who uses a wheelchair and everyday people walk by her and don’t help her open doors and I help her every day. If it wasn’t for YC, I could have been that someone who walks by.

My first impression of YC was that…

I wanted to be like the older volunteers. I thought it was cool that older volunteers had strong bonds with the participants and the staff.

I have encouraged friends to become involved with YC because…

It does not feel like you are doing service. I encouraged younger cousins because I think they should volunteer and YC is a great place to volunteer.

My first day at YC was…

at the summer West Side sport program in the gym at YC and I remember someone telling me that I was crazy for picking that event for the first one because it was a long program but I liked it a lot. I thought that kid was crazy for telling me I should have picked a two-hour program. I also enjoyed my first day because the veteran volunteer was really cool.