Franciscan Community Volunteers 2012-2013

Shannon Hagerty is from St. Francis, Minnesota. She recently graduated from St. Cloud State University with a degree in Elementary Education/Special Education. This year, as a Franciscan Community Volunteer and AmeriCorps member Shannon is serving at Catholic Charities St. Cloud Children’s Home as a Clinical Support Assistant. The Children’s Home is a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed and mentally ill children and youth.  During her year of long-term service, Shannon assists with a number of the activities offered to the residents, including planning service opportunities and organizing the Special Friends program. Shannon shared with us some of the aspects of the service program, such as community, that she is looking forward to, “One of the many things I am excited about this year is to see each of our individual talents and passions make an impact on our communities, faith lives, and those we serve.”

Lisa Yanzer is from Holmen, Wisconsin. She recently completed her term of service with Jesuit Volunteer Corps before joining FCV. With the Jesuit Volunteers she worked at STRIVE, an organization serving young adults with disabilities. During this year of long-term service as a Franciscan Community Volunteer and an AmeriCorps member Lisa is serving at all the St. Cloud District Schools as the Autism Resource Program Assistant. There are over 250 students with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) who need educational support services in the St. Cloud district, and this number has nearly doubled in the last five years. The district seeks to creatively keep students in their neighborhood schools rather than move them to outside resources, especially for the students in crisis. Lisa will help increase the capacity of the district to support these students by performing classroom observations, planning activities, and leading family trainings, among other tasks. Just after a week, Lisa feels as though she is where she is meant to be, “The peace I feel in community with my fellow volunteers and the Sisters makes me feel right at home.”

Philip Lomneth is from Omaha, Nebraska. He recently graduated from St. Olaf College with a degree in Religion and American Racial and Multicultural Studies. During his year of post-grad service as a Franciscan Community Volunteer Philip is serving at the Great River Interfaith Partnership (GRIP) as the Racial Equity Organizer and Researcher. GRIP is a regional member of ISAIAH, an organization that works as a vehicle for congregations, clergy, and people of faith to act collectively and powerfully towards racial and economic equity in the state of Minnesota. Until November Philip will be working to defeat the Voter ID amendment, a racially unjust ballot initiative. After November, Philip will be assisting with a research and community organizing project aimed at decreasing the economic achievement gap for students of color in the St. Cloud school district. During Orientation Philip shared with us his excitement for the pillars of our program, spirituality, service, and community; “Living with people eager to share and grow in their faith has given me great hope for what this year will bring. Though the road ahead is not entirely clear, I know I travel with wonderful companions.”
        
Kristine Origone is from Lodi, California. In California she worked as a Speech Pathologist Assistant. As a Franciscan Community Volunteer and AmeriCorps member Kristine is spending her year of long term service at Catholic Charities as an Immigrant and Refugee Program Assistant with the Bel Clare Estates and La Cruz community centers. These centers serve as a support center for low-income refugee and immigrant populations in the area. Kristine primarily works at La Cruz with their tutoring program. There she coordinates volunteer tutors and fills in with tutoring as needed. Kristine is also helping with the creation of a development plan for the new center, Bel Clare, based on the model of the La Cruz community center.  When thinking about the year ahead Kristine said, “I pray to see and be the light of Christ in uniting with my community and those with whom I am blessed to serve.”