By: Bryanna Gallant

One Saturday each month, a group of up to 12 Suffolk volunteers travel to Boston Health Care for the Homeless’ facility in Roxbury to participate in activity period with members of the community.

Students met in the Donahue lobby Nov. 23 for the last event of the semester and traveled to the Jean Yawkey Place. The afternoon was spent partaking in arts, crafts and card games with members of the community who are affected by homelessness and medical ailments.

“I really liked how relaxed the environment was,” said James Bailey, a senior. “When I was initially told I would be helping run the art and crafts section, I immediately assumed I’d be helping children, but I was pleasantly surprised when I got to work with adults older than myself.”

Students spent approximately one hour learning about the center with AmeriCorps volunteer Regina Banks. They watched a movie describing BHCHP and stories regarding homelessness. Banks also discussed the facility’s goals, and gave volunteers a tour of the premises.

“We try to ensure that people leave here with stability, and with something for patients to go on to,” she said. Volunteers then spent their remaining time in the activities room, which included a TV, pool table, and an area for crafts.

The Center’s website reports that BHCHP serves 1,900 people every year, as it is dedicated to providing the homeless population of Greater Boston with “adequate access to high quality health care.” It is a place where chronic care conditions, such as diabetes, cancer, or broken bones are treated, for patients well enough to not be in a hospital, but who are in need of some extra support. The Jean Yawkey Place incorporates a primary care clinic, a dental clinic, a behavioral health team, pharmacy, a medical respite care facility, and the Barbara McInnis House provides up to 102 beds for patients.

Arts and crafts period takes place every Saturday for residents and was spent by making themed pillows, acrylic paintings, as well as bracelets made out of yarn and strings. Community members joked with Suffolk students, as the group collectively made several crafts.

Those wishing to volunteer can do so through the S.O.U.L.S Center for Community Engagement, which organizes the BHCHP event for Suffolk. Many of the student volunteers present were working towards fulfilling their community service requirement for different classes, including community psychology, a course that requires its students to fulfill 60 hours of service.

“I think the requirement to volunteer is a blessing and a curse,” said Bailey. “I think it’s great that people are forced to do this that wouldn’t otherwise contribute, and then they learn that it’s something they love to do.”

Bailey, who was also working to complete his service hours for the semester still “really enjoyed learning about what the shelter does. I truly think our generation holds a great responsibility in volunteering,” he said.