Mother and daughter duo Myra Guiellen and Lisbeth Labrada can be spotted filling backpacks with back-to-school necessities in summer, plating hot meals during the holidays and supporting Hope through Housing throughout the year at events such as the annual Gala and Beauty, Bubbles & Bites.
Together, the two dedicated more than 75 hours of their time in 2023 to impacting the lives of children, families and seniors living at National CORE affordable housing communities. They are among the organization’s most dedicated volunteers, leading a cadre that provided 3,392 hours of volunteer service in 2023.
“We love devoting our time to the residents, so we never feel like it’s too much for us to handle,” Myra said. “Volunteering and donating are just something we’ve been doing since I can remember – it’s part of our everyday lives, and we’re happy we get to do that with this nonprofit.”
With Hope through Housing, their donation of time and goods make a tangible difference in residents’ lives, Lisbeth said.
“There is an incomparable joy that comes with giving back to those who need it,” she said. “We see that our efforts really do impact the lives of others and that’s what keeps us coming back.”
Myra and Lisbeth have been involved with Hope through Housing since 2015, when Lisbeth volunteered at the Arrowhead Grove communities in San Bernardino under Regional Director Sandra Bowers – eventually pulling in her mother as a volunteer, too. They have since volunteered all over the Inland Empire in addition to the High Desert and the Los Angeles region.
Services coordinators and Hope staff alike know that they can rely on the dynamic duo to provide residents with the utmost care and attention.
“Myra and Lisbeth have a way of connecting with residents that sets them apart from others,” Sandra said. “Having volunteers with the heart and passion for giving back means more hands doing the heavy lifting – lightening the load for services coordinators and regionals.”
With the support of volunteers like Myra and Lisbeth, Hope through Housing can deliver high-quality services through friendly familiar faces.
Hope through Housing Vice President and Women of Hope liaison Alyssa Cotter said connecting passionate Women of Hope members to volunteer opportunities empowers residents by extending the nonprofit’s reach.
“When we can come to rely on them, they become part of the Hope team because they’re helping us get the work done,” Alyssa said. “Volunteers are so important for what we do as a nonprofit because with them by our side we can successfully implement programs that empower the communities that we serve.”