St. Vincent De Paul

I am so excited to share that I have partnered with St. Vincent de Paul (SVDP), a charity that’s been close to my family for many years.

St. Vincent de Paul’s mission is harnessing the power of community to feed, clothe, house and heal all in need. I believe every person matters and has a purpose on this earth. We can help them realize that by lending our time and hands to serve those around us that need our help. Service really does have a special power to bring joy and healing to both the giver and the receiver. 

As I start my journey with SVDP to help spread their mission in the coming years, it has helped me take a step back and be grateful for my own life. I have never been hungry, homeless, or without clothes. My needs were seen to by my parents since I was born. It’s been revelatory to step back and see, by just those three realities alone, how blessed we really are. 

As I reflect on my life and career thus far, I have been beyond blessed. I have had the privilege of traveling all over the world to play beach volleyball. The one thing I love (besides playing) is the amount of PERSPECTIVE it brings me everywhere I travel. 

My last two tournaments of the 2022 season were in Cape Town, South Africa, and Uberlândia, Brazil. Right before we pulled up to the courts in Cape Town, there was an area off to the side by a small river covered in tents. Tattered tents that families lived in, with clothes hanging over logs and visible unsanitary living conditions. But this is where people reside. Every day we passed by, and my heart went out to those people. 

After that tournament, we left the next day for Brazil. But before hitting Brazil, we had a one-night layover in Ethiopia. I had never been to Ethiopia but upon arrival… I was HIT with a big dose of PERSPECTIVE. 

We arrived in Ethiopia in the middle of the night. As we were being driven to a hotel for our one-night stay, I had never encountered such horrific conditions in a town before. The streets were filled with trash, there was rubble everywhere from buildings, and people huddled in the smallest huts. From our 10-minute drive, we passed by over 100 people laying on the side of the street with blankets cuddled up tight in bunches. It was a sight I will never forget. 

I carried that image with me that night as I was handed the key to my nice, cozy room with air conditioning, warm water, and a nice bed to sleep in. I went to bed that night thinking, “Here I am in this comfy room to myself when just a few hundred yards away, there are people that probably haven’t seen a bed in weeks, months, or even more.” 

As we were being driven back to the airport the following day, we passed by what looked to be two sisters sitting on the side of the street. These two young girls were sharing a pair of shoes. One had the right shoe; the other had the left. Typing this makes me teary-eyed. I look bad at my life and the multiple shoes I have, some I don’t even need. 

Sights like the ones I’ve described above in Cape Town and Ethiopia leave me grateful. Grateful for the life I have. However, it leaves me wanting to help people facing these conditions. This is why I am beyond thrilled to be partnering with St. Vincent de Paul! As an ambassador, I will help feed, clothe, house, and heal all those who need our help. Here is how you can volunteer too 🙂

What I have found in the times I’ve been able to serve others is that it leaves me feeling more FULFILLED than I could ever imagine. I hope you check out my website to learn more about this great organization and how you can help those that need you most and get to feel that true joy that SERVICE gives us all. 

And since I’m a huge quote fan, I’ll leave you with one that has recently inspired me. 

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” (Wonder Drug, Stephen Trzeciak)