“I wanted to do something where I could help people,” Russ recalls thinking as he researched local organizations making an impact in the community.
At the start of his volunteer tenure, Russ made Chrysalis a part of his weekly commute. He would begin his day volunteering at our Downtown Los Angeles center and then head over to the Ocean West Capital Partners office nearby, where he serves as CEO and Co-Founder.
Having hired many individuals throughout his career, Russ can pinpoint what makes a strong resume and a successful interview, regardless of the position being applied for. When going over resumes and practice interviews with clients, he looks for opportunities to help clients shine their brightest. Russ especially loves the moment he gets to hear it “click” for a client when they really begin to understand how to project their most positive attributes and, as a result, gain a sense of confidence too.
After spending five years getting to know clients and hearing their stories, Russ can attest that the trajectory to stability is not always easy. Understanding their challenges and experiences shifted his perception greatly from when he first began volunteering, and he has gained a new level of empathy for those he gets to work with during one-on-one sessions. In fact, it has influenced his own company culture in terms of hiring and giving prospective applicants another chance. “A lot of people come from environments that have influenced their entire lives….to go down a different path would have been very difficult.” This realization led Russ to understand why so many have felt held back from applying to certain jobs and further helped him recognize how crucial it is to disrupt the cycles that create recidivism and chronic homelessness.
While continuing to navigate providing remote services, Russ is grateful to have been able to step in at an uncertain time. “During COVID, when no one could get together, we found a way to help,” shared Russ. With plans to continue volunteering as the organization begins to offer more in-person services, Russ looks forward to being the voice of positive reinforcement to clients walking through the center doors again and longs to cheer and clap for clients ringing the Success Bell in a Chrysalis lobby, celebrating their employment as a result of the program.
To all of the clients he interacts with, Russ hopes they all know how important they are to him. “I really do care. It is my privilege to work with clients,” he shares and hopes he can inspire others to lend their time with the incredible people he gets to meet as a volunteer at Chrysalis.
The Volunteer & Program team is currently recruiting volunteers to support clients virtually – please click here to learn more.