Make an impact by volunteering
A mom raising a daughter was on welfare and in search of help for basic needs 20 years ago. She went to Haven of Rest Ministries in Akron and received meals and clothing. “Now she’s a successful health care professional and nurse practitioner and has got her life totally turned around,” says Michael Solosky, who is in donor relations and is a development officer at Haven of Rest. “She said it made a big difference for her.”
Solosky started as a volunteer at Haven of Rest 20 years ago and has heard several impactful stories like this one. One of the largest private social service agencies in Northeast Ohio, the faith-based nonprofit provides help and shelter for men, women and children with a wide range of services like helping homeless people and offering rehabilitation, education, career development, emergency services and youth programs.
“We give hope to the hopeless,” Solosky says. “Some of the folks that are coming here for help, they’re at the end of their rope. We’re helping them to get back on their feet — that’s our goal.”
Volunteers sort canned food and clothing, serve meals, clean dishes, pick up donations from partner agencies, do office work, lead devotions and do other jobs. No matter age or ability, Haven of Rest can tailor tasks to an individual volunteer.
“They can make a difference, and somebody’s gonna be blessed,” Solosky says.
In 2022, the charity provided 120,620 meals and 45,036 nights of shelter. Each Christmas, the ministry adopts families, and last Christmas it adopted and gave gifts to 229 families and 886 individuals. It also provided several people with warm meals, clothing and items they might need for the holidays and cold weather. Solosky says volunteers are critical to Haven of Rest, as it is funded by donations.
“There’s thousands of people that help us,” he says. “We’re very grateful to them. We couldn’t operate without all their help.”
Consider volunteering at Haven of Rest or another charity to be a part of changing lives.
“I volunteered in the men’s stay room. … I would just help wherever I could,” Solosky says. “It’s been the most rewarding thing I have ever found.”
175 E. Market St., Akron, havenofrest.org