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Volunteer Honor Roll 2025
To recognize the important contributions of volunteers to non-profit organizations, schools, faith-based organizations and the community at-large, United Way for Southeastern Michigan presents the 2025 Volunteer Honor Roll. Honor Roll members were nominated by organizations and fellow community members who recognized the differences each of these volunteers have made in our community.
Janice Banks

Looking at the Whole Picture Foundation, Marion Academy, Uplift Program, Grandparents On The Move (GOTMO), Volunteers of America – Detroit Veteran Housing, Macomb County Veterans Organization, AmeriCorps Alumni

Janice Ross Banks has demonstrated a lifelong commitment to community engagement and service by selflessly empowering veterans, seniors, and underserved families through hands-on support, advocacy and transformative programs that uplift and inspire lasting change.

Kimberly Beaudrie and her Pet Therapy dog Caleb D.

Henry Ford Health -Wyandotte, Allen Elementary School, Christ the King Lutheran Church/school, CoreWell Health-Trenton

Kimberly and Caleb D. touch the lives of others through their community involvement and volunteering here at the hospital. They do so much for their community as well. They visit a local elementary school weekly to allow students to decompress with Pet Therapy, Caleb D. has his own desk and the children write him notes on a regular basis.

Aimee Bogucki

Leader Dogs for the Blind

Aimee is a dedicated volunteer and always seeks to help wherever she can. She’s always up for a new challenge and is excited to contribute to the Leader Dog mission. Aimee has been volunteering at Leader Dog for over 12 years and is a valuable member of our team.

Pat Boyd

Leader Dogs for the Blind

Pat is a dedicated volunteer who demonstrates her commitment to Leader Dog every day in everything she does. Pat has raised over 40 puppies for Leader Dog! She is also a docent and helps with behind the scenes administrative tasks. We are so lucky to have her!

Lynnette Burrell

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Lynnette is very faith-filled and gives our clients the respect and dignity they deserve, not only by giving them haircuts, but through her reassuring smile that lets everyone know that we are all in this together and things are going to be ok.

Amy Camaiani

Neighborhood House

Amy’s commitment to Neighborhood House is vital to its success in serving our clients and their families in their times of greatest need.

Nevaeh Carson

Community Action Network

Nevaeh has volunteered 80+ hours at ASP. She helps kids of all ages with their homework, engages them in activities, and assists in preparing meals for the group. Her teenage sister attends the program, but really, Nevaeh is like a big sister to ALL of the kids. We are so grateful to have Nevaeh share her time and talents to make our ASP great. She truly connects with the young people here and supports them in so many ways.

 

Lisa Centner

Pope Francis Center

Lisa’s consistent reliability and joyful approach to every task she takes on make her an invaluable part of our team. She brings a refreshing energy to every shift and works seamlessly, no matter what’s needed, always with a positive and generous spirit.

John Clough

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

John Clough is committed to helping break the stigma of mental illness and homelessness in our community and truly wants to help those who are mentally ill get the treatment they so deserve.

Allyson Cohen

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Allyson and her CMOC non-profit group have performed at our shelter since 2022.  They bring concert music to those who are experiencing homelessness and have spent hundreds of hours playing in different venues and currently perform monthly for our women, one of our most vulnerable populations, at the Delonis Center.

Bill Conway

Pope Francis Center

Bill consistently goes above and beyond in his volunteer work, always stepping up to take on tasks with enthusiasm and a great attitude. His quiet strength and steady support have made him a trusted and valued member of our team, and he has a true impact on those he helps.

Sue Conway

Pope Francis Center

Sue brings a calm and thoughtful presence to every task, always showing up with a strong work ethic and a heart for service. Her ability to anticipate needs and her quiet dedication to helping others make her an invaluable part of our team.

Cheryl Duggan

Neighborhood House

Cheryl Duggan’s commitment to supporting our client events knows no limits and because of her dedication, our organization is stronger and better able to serve our neighbors.

Lisa Dusseau

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC)

Lisa volunteers weekly and is very heart-filled. She not only sorts and organizes donations but personally hand delivers these in-kind gifts with a smile and some TLC. The shelter simply would not operate as smoothly without her support. Lisa is engaged with her heart and gets excited about the in-kind donations we receive from individuals, faith-based organizations and local employers!

Jacqueline Edwards

Pope Francis Center – Day Center, Bridge Housing Campus

Jacqueline works in our cafeteria, teaches art classes and even stepped up to manage the showers during February’s Code Blue winter freeze, when our campus became a shelter. She exhibits a commitment to help others without fail and she’s always willing to learn something new.

Ried "Rae" Elenich

Our House

Ried’s unwavering commitment to service is reflected in her selfless acts of kindness, from mentoring and assisting with essential life skills to providing hands-on support during life’s most challenging moments.

Josiah Goga

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC)

Josiah Goga supports shelter operations and has connected with many of our clients. His empathy and sincere concern about the welfare of our unhoused clients has made such a difference in their lives.  Josiah has helped create a better support system overall at the Delonis Center.

Paul Hamlin Smith

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center, St. Mary Student Parish of Ann Arbor

Paul Smith has been a supporter of SAWC for many years and volunteers as a shelter van driver for our clients at the Delonis Center. He serves as our main volunteer van driver but goes above and beyond the call of duty by making himself available to support our mission of “Ending homelessness one person at a time” in many ways.

Jeff Kalinowski

UWSEM, Forgotten Harvest, Gleaners and many more

Jeff believes in giving back by paying it forward and he lives that everyday!

Thaddeus Krolikowski

Pope Francis Center

Through his consistency and quiet generosity, Ted exemplifies the importance of dependable service, making a meaningful impact one delivery at a time.

Kiran Kumar

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Kiran has spent a lot of time supporting staff and clients alike in our Service Center at the Delonis Center. He has also worked countless hours driving the shelter van each week this past year. He has taken clients to day shelters in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor and has picked up much needed in-kind donations last-minute. He makes it very obvious that he cares with his warm smile and unassuming personality.

 

Kourtni Lake

United Way, Turning Point, Pontiac High School, Charles L. Spain Elementary-Middle School

Kourtni is a truly dedicated individual, always going above and beyond to support our communities in meaningful ways. She always looks for opportunities to enrich the lives of the children ensuring the children have what they need and how to improve our efforts to help them.

Evivian Lehman

Avalon Housing

Evivian helps train new volunteers, builds connections with the community members we work with, volunteers on our vocal committee, which is our tenant leadership group that helps bridge the gap between our tenants and staff as well as plan community events.

Kim Lim

SOS Community Services

Kim knows most of the regulars at the SOS food pantry and remains kind and level headed in all situations. For the past 5 years, she has helped immensely by not only stocking shelves and walking clients through the pantry, but also managing the to-do list and taking on special cleaning projects.

Meg Lope

Pope Francis Center

Meg’s genuine, consistent dedication to helping others make her an indispensable part of the team, always ensuring that both volunteers and guests feel valued and cared for.

Gwen Massey-Bowman

Community Action Network

Gwen has been a dedicated volunteer for over a decade, consistently going above and beyond to support her community. Her unwavering commitment and compassionate nature have positively impacted countless lives, she is known for her legacy of kindness. She has inspired many others to get involved and make a difference through her tireless efforts.

 

Suzanne Mellon

Pope Francis Center

With a spirit of generosity and a hands-on approach, Suzanne embodies what it means to serve—always ready to help, support, and inspire those in her community.

Joyce Merritt-Jones

Pope Francis Center – Bridge Housing Campus

Joyce demonstrates tireless commitment to engagement and service by stepping in when needed and fostering strong, positive relationships with residents.

Johnny Monroe

Epic Races, Trivium Races, Avenue Runners, WeRun313, Black Men Run, RF Events and others

Not only does Johnny personally volunteer at our races throughout the summer, but he consistently brings members of his run club to serve alongside him, effectively multiplying his positive impact on our events. He takes each role and elevates it, going above and beyond what is expected of him.

Karen Mountz

Neighborhood House, RHPL Outreach Services

Karen Mountz’ commitment to volunteerism covers the lifespan of those in need, from young children to our seniors, and her relentless good cheer, and tireless effort in doing so makes all the difference to those she serves.

Urvi Parihar

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County (SAWC)

Urvi, president of the HomeFree Initiative at U-M, partners with SAWC’s Delonis Center to help support our adult clients who are facing homelessness through her club at U-M. This is a club dedicated to raising awareness about homelessness through advocacy, fundraising and community service.

Neema Prakash

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Neema genuinely cares about breaking though the employment barriers that exist for our clients, particularly for our most vulnerable populations, and wants to effect positive change to connect clients to viable employment opportunities.

Robert Pyle

Pope Francis Center – Bridge Housing Campus

Robert is an incredibly adaptable volunteer, always willing to step into any role where help is needed. Their flexibility allows them to take on a variety of tasks with enthusiasm and skill, making them a valuable asset to our team. No matter the challenge, they are always ready to contribute in whatever way best supports our mission.

Ed Queen

Pope Francis Center – Day Center, Bridge Housing Campus

Ed is a committed volunteer that comes to volunteer in every Tuesday morning at our Bridge Housing Campus. He’s always on time and treats our residents with high respect. He exhibits bold humility and is always willing to find a way when it comes to problem-solving and helping our community.

Marianne Raffin

Meadow Brook Estate / Oakland University

Marianne consistently goes above and beyond to selflessly advance our mission to preserve and interpret the history of Meadow Brook Estate, and to share this story with our community.

Larnell Randell

Washtenaw County Foster Grandparent Program – currently places at Carpenter Elementary School in Ann Arbor

For 18 years, Grandpa Larnell has served as a Foster Grandparent role model, providing guidance and support to hundreds of children.

Dave Robinson

Pope Francis Center

Dave’s commitment to service shines through his reliability, generosity, and genuine care for those in need, making a meaningful difference in our community.

Molly Robinson

Pope Francis Center

Molly embodies the spirit of community engagement and service through her unwavering dedication, kindness, and willingness to support and uplift those in need.

Kassandra Rodeghiero

PACE Southeast Michigan, Macomb County Pride, Affirmations and Chippewa Valley Public Schools

Even though Kassi has made community service part of her full-time work, she regularly goes beyond the bounds of her role to ensure those we serve are as best served as they can be.

Tammy Ross

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Tammy’s empathy for our clients is palpable.  She is the perfect example of what a volunteer with a big heart is all about! She is always looking to help in different and new ways and plans to help serve as a visitor at our Recuperative Care hotel site where clients are recovering from cancer and other illnesses and injuries.

Dave Schatz

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Dave has volunteered in various capacities at our Delonis Center for over 10 years through operations support. This encompasses almost everything, including laundry duty! He will be receiving a special award during National Volunteer Week due to his length of service. We thank Dave for sharing of his time, talent and treasures for over a decade.

Ben Sexton

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center adult homeless shelter

Ben heads the Oral Health Sciences dental care initiative at Delonis in partnership with U of M School of Dentistry. He oversees this program from grant writing and planning to execution. Thanks to Ben, tens of thousands of dollars have been donated to support this effort and at least 200 clients have received services, including oral surgery, over the past two years.

Paul Silaghi

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Paul serves as president of Michigan Health Aid. In partnership with Delonis, they have served over 300 clients through health screenings to check vitals. Their mission is to improve the health of local communities through preventative medicine, health education and leadership development and it has helped ignite his passion to help serve all people in the medical field, including those who are experiencing homelessness.

Becki Spangler

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center

Becki has the utmost integrity and has helped us in so many different ways such as recommending that the 100 Women Who Care group consider donating a substantial amount of money to SAWC in 2023 and they did indeed donate $11,600 that year.

Samantha Steinberg

Shelter Association of Washtenaw County’s Delonis Center adult homeless shelter

Sam has volunteered at SAWC’s Delonis Center adult homeless shelter since 2022 and first approached us over a year ago offering to update her certification to teach First Aid and CPR to staff at our homeless shelter.  As an assistant to our Health & Safety Coordinator, Sam’s skills have proven to be invaluable this past year. She has helped us make ends meet!

Betsy Strehl

GradSWE, CAN

Betsy is always ready to jump in and do whatever is needed. She has created and facilitated lessons, she has brought us new volunteers, she has cooked and baked for and with us. Our kiddos run to her and hug her when they see her coming and constantly ask for her when she isn’t here. Betsy has become a staple in our program and we seriously couldn’t do it without her!

Jenna Troppman

Pope Francis Center

Jenna shows up early, before her full-time job, bringing her infectious energy and genuine care to every shift. Her positivity and compassion for our guests make her an essential part of the team.