Volunteer agencies miss student help

Mid-Missouri Crisis Line officials and volunteers are working overtime to fill the spots of students who left for the summer.

The “crisis room” used by the organization is about the size of a large walk-in closet.

It is equipped with two phones, a computer, a couch not big enough to lie on and an oversized TV in the corner. There is just enough floor space for the air mattress stuffed behind the door.

This is where Teresa Brisley, manager of the hot line, spent 82 hours last month when a majority of her volunteers went home after MU’s semester ended.

“It’s best when we have about 70 volunteers,” Brisley said. “We have 20, maybe 25 now.”

Each volunteer is required to participate in an eight- to 14-hour training process to help anonymous callers deal with problems such as domestic violence or feeling depressed.

“Students make up about 98 percent of our staff,” she said. And although this summer isn’t the first time the crisis line has needed volunteer help, this is the worst shortage that Brisley said she can remember.

Across town, the Rainbow House, a children’s emergency shelter that serves families in crisis, faces a similar shortage of volunteers.

“It is a common trend that our volunteer numbers go down as the students leave,” said Kortney Sebben, volunteer coordinator.

The Rainbow House had 67 volunteers last semester but is now operating with 15.

“They assist us majorly in child care,” said Sebben. As the number of children increase during the summer because school is out, volunteers will have their hands full, she said.

Not all agencies are hurting for people as much as the crisis line and Rainbow House are.

“We rely on students nine months of the year. During the summer, other groups fill in,” said Bill View, executive director of Habitat for Humanity.

Habitat for Humanity always needs volunteers in its resale store, which sells donated merchandise as a source of revenue for Habitat’s home-building projects.

Along with Habitat for Humanity, the Columbia Area United Way depends on volunteers year round, but it doesn’t face the same 24-hour pressures as the crisis line and the Rainbow House.

“They have a tougher job than our volunteer jobs,” said David Franta, executive director of the Columbia Area United Way.

With staff training beginning Saturday, Brisley said the crisis line organization is recruiting as many volunteers as possible.

“It’s a great opportunity,” Brisley said. “People just do it because they believe in volunteering and helping the community.”