“It was an easy choice” to begin volunteering for SowHope, said Sarah Massirio & Wesley Krug, regular SowHope volunteers since 2018. “Aaron Hoxworth (SowHope’s Administrative Director) was discussing SowHope with mutual friends back in 2018, and Sarah was interested in helping in any way possible”, the personal connection helping spark the volunteerism. Three years later, both are active volunteers for SowHope in any way they can, including volunteering at events, proofreading SowHope publications, and stuffing envelopes. Both have found their niches as SowHope volunteers: Sarah also gives her time to the Fund Development and Marketing Committees while Wesley has found himself right at home washing dishes after many of the meet and greet events at the SowHope office.
Sarah and Wesley live in a lovely Grand Rapids neighborhood with two cats and their bunny. When they aren’t volunteering for SowHope, they enjoy musical theater, board games, and traveling. They also love helping people, whether it’s family, friends, or their community. “While we may not have endless funds to donate,” the couple says, “we like to volunteer our time and help out wherever we can.”
So, what inspires them to continue volunteering with SowHope? As an organization that serves women, SowHope holds a special place in their hearts. “SowHope provides a wonderful opportunity to help women most in need. We see proof of the amazing work SowHope does and know there are still millions of women in need around the world, those who are often responsible for the success of their families and communities, especially in lower income areas, but are typically underserved and underappreciated for their efforts. It is vital to the success of the world at large to help women rise up and give them a chance to share their voices and stories.”
The couple also enjoys working with the staff and volunteers at SowHope and hearing firsthand about all the positive impact the organization has on women and communities. Though SowHope has three important program areas, Sarah and Wesley believe education is the most important, noting that education is a major steppingstone to independence: “We want every woman to know that they should believe in themselves, even if it feels like no one else does.”