Education

People Making a Difference

Volunteer Serves in the Community by Helping Children

Dee Dee Mataalii is a senior at Utah Valley State College who will graduate in April with a degree in elementary education, having completed 300 hours of community service as part of the service learning distinction program. Some of Mataalii’s service hours have been completed at Kids on the Move.

“I really enjoy my service at Kids on the Move,” Mataalii said.

Kids on the Move is a non-profit organization that serves more than 1,000 children each year through early intervention and early head start programs, as well as an early education center and resource library.

Sine the beginning of the summer, Mataalii has volunteered with Kids on the Move. She helps watch children while the parents are in a class or participating in other activities.

“I like Kids on the Move because it benefits the children and the parents,” Mataalii said. “While the parents are learning in a class, the kids get to play. It’s free time.”

According to Mataalii, volunteering at Kids on the Move involves working with children a lot. The teacher may plan to have the children go outside and paint or stay inside and play a game. Volunteers assist the children in participating in the different activities.

“If you like kids, you will really like volunteering for Kids on the Move,” Mataalii said. “But whatever talents you have, you can use them to help benefit the community.”

Mataalii said she tries to find time to volunteer on a regular basis, whether it is going to Kids on the Move to help watch children or doing another type of service, such as helping in classrooms at several different elementary schools.

“I like going for a couple hours and serving in the community,” Mataalii said. “Giving back to the community helps me to have more pride in it.”

For more information or to volunteer with Kids on the Move, visit www.kidsonthemove.org.

Volunteer Helps New Parents

For over two years, Tina Whitchurch has volunteered her time to help new parents care for their newborns.

Whitchurch, who is both a mother and grandmother, went back to school to become a nurse after her children were raised and soon after graduating was looking for a volunteer opportunity. At a church function, Whitchurch was introduced to the United Way Success by Six Welcome Baby program and decided then to become involved.

The Welcome Baby program is designed to help new parents learn basic skills to help their newborn’s development. The parents receive monthly visits from volunteer home visitors like Whitchurch, and are instructed on everything from how to interact with the newborn to what to expect developmentally from the newborn each month. 

For Whitchurch, the volunteer opportunity with the Welcome Baby program has been extremely rewarding. 

“It makes me feel good to share something that I wish I had as a young mother,” Whitchurch said. “It lifts my spirits and I feel happy.”  

Not only has volunteering been uplifting for Whitchurch, but she said it’s just as rewarding to see the changes in the parents that she visits. 

“Every month I see more and more confidence in the mothers,” Whitchurch said. “My monthly visits are always welcomed by the mothers.”

Anyone interested in volunteering with the Welcome Baby program can call 801-374-8108 or visit www.unitedwayuc.org/welcomebaby