Volunteer Spotlight: Get to Know Isabel!

Tell us a little about yourself!

Outside of volunteering for North York Community House, I enjoy face painting and doing art workshops at festivals and events across the city. I also work with children and youth for other organizations, which has also been very rewarding and enjoyable. I am a Community Local Artist and spreading my Art everywhere is so wonderful, enjoyable, and rewarding for me. I am at the stage where I can do all of this now and love it. I also sing in a choir and do karaoke almost every week!

Why did you decide to volunteer with North York Community House?

I decided to volunteer at North York Community House 20 years ago because I needed to gain experience working with children and youth, and did so by volunteering at an After School Program. I wanted to major in Early Childhood Education, but ended up going for the Graphic and Visual Arts Program instead, and did extremely well with that. I loved the After School Program and wanted to volunteer more at NYCH with all the other programs and events, such as face painting for Family Day.

What has been the most meaningful part of your volunteer experience?

The most meaningful part of my volunteering has been the Get Moving After School Program and the Face Painting for NYCH events all these years… It has been so rewarding making the children in the community so happy with doing art projects and painting their faces. Most of these children are teenagers now, and they still remember all the precious moments we had in the Get Moving After School Program and at other events.

When the children and youth see me in the mall or in the community they never forget my little saying “ART is BEAUTIFUL”, and I feel so rewarded that I got through to them and we were able to connect with ART.

What’s something new you’ve learned while volunteering here at NYCH?

I have learned that no matter how hard a situation can be, it can always be resolved with kindness, compassion, dignity, pride and empathy. As years have gone by, I have learned to do all of that and be ever so grateful that people understand where I am coming from as a Local Artist. I have also learned that everyone has ups and downs in life and understanding each other is the key to wanting to do more when volunteering.

So THANK YOU North York Community House for teaching me all of this.

What’s next for you, and do you see yourself continuing to volunteer with us in the future?

Yes, I still plan to volunteer because I strongly feel that North York Community House is my second family and being semi-retired I am at the stage of my life where I can give back to the community, feel good about what I do with the children and youth, and spread my ART skills everywhere.