Hedwig Haus of Hospitality by Aiesha Rice

Hedwig Haus of Hospitality

I volunteered my time at Charleston’s Hedwig Haus of Hospitality, a Catholic Worker House. This home provides women and children in need with a place to live, food, and other resources. This is not to be confused with a shelter. Everyone at the home stresses the fact that they are a community, and everyone that lives there are “guests.” This allows for a more welcoming and less intimidating environment.

In class, we have discussed the homeless, victims of abuse, and other disadvantaged individuals. While discussing these topics, one of the main things Dr. Taylor said was to always assume diversity. I kept this close to my heart while volunteering at the house. I never wanted to assume that everyone’s stories were the same. Some women come to the house because they are in abusive relationships or others may come because they need a place to stay until they find jobs and inexpensive places to live. The point is that everyone has a unique story to tell, and it is important to be accepting of differences. For our midterm, we were asked to analyze the phrase “giving money to people in poverty won’t solve all of the problems associated with poverty.” The Catholic Worker House does not just give handouts to people in need. The “guests” staying there are a part of the community so it is their duty to contribute as well. This may be done by doing dishes, helping with dinner, and other tasks that families do together. I think it is great that the women and children are involved in the work that it takes to keep up the house. This gives them a sense of purpose, and for some, it may help them appreciate being there. The house also provides the “guests” with knowledge of resources in the community. For instance, if one of the women is in need of a job, she will be provided with information of job opportunities. If a woman in an abusive relationship came to the house, they would also give her information on counseling and other resources that could help her in that difficult situation. With all of this being said, Hedwig Haus of Hospitality provides services as well as knowledge, which is far more beneficial than monetary donations.

Roy is one of the people in charge at the Hedwig Haus of Hospitality. When I called about volunteering, he was extremely excited about my interest. While there, I was asked to become a regular on-the-house worker. By doing this, I would be considered a part of their community. I would be involved in cooking meals, babysitting, and other services throughout the house. I explained to Roy that I am majoring in FCS, and he said that I could live in the home and volunteer. Being a regular volunteer would be a great entry to being a live in worker. Having a desire to work with disadvantaged families, I realized what a great opportunity and experience this would be.

The Hedwig Haus of Hospitality is going to transform people in the Charleston community. This home provides housing, food, and other basic needs for women and children in the area. Some people do not feel comfortable going to shelters so this home provides a different atmosphere for people. My favorite part of the Hedwig Haus of Hospitality is its religious base. Women and children can receive their basic needs and also work on their spiritual needs. This home is fairly new, but they are working towards opening another house on their street. If the Charleston community can realize the impact Catholic Worker Houses will have for women in children, maybe others will give their time and money towards buying more homes.

Volunteering at the Hedwig Haus of Hospitality has given me a new outlook on life. I have always enjoyed giving back to the community by volunteering for various organizations. Volunteering at the Hedwig Haus of Hospitality gave me a new opportunity. I was able to work alongside the “guests” living in the Catholic Worker House. This was an amazing experience because I was able to see whom my volunteer services were helping. Meeting the mothers and children allowed me to appreciate my time volunteering there. I also learned that people in need appreciate different types of donations, but they yearn for volunteers willing to sit and listen. Not only did I volunteer by physically doing things, but also I sat and listened to stories and problems that the women were dealing with. I truly felt like my listening ear and few pieces of advice were appreciated more than ever. My time at the Catholic Worker House was supposed to be a time to bless others, but I feel like they blessed me as well.