Helen Hauser

RSVP volunteer Helen Hauser believes that children need to be nurtured and loved. She fosters this philosophy each Monday as she interacts with the children currently living at Domestic Violence Center in Cleveland, OH where she has volunteered since 1998 and has accumulated more than 1,200 hours of service.

Life at the Center can sometimes be an environment that is chaotic and unpredictable due to the crises that the families are encountering, and yet Hauser has always been a constant, stable presence for the children. When everything else seems to be out of place and unfamiliar, “Grandma Helen,” as Hauser is affectionately known, is someone the children know they can count on each week.

Support groups for the women at the Center are critical to the healing process and because Grandma Helen watches the children in the evening; their mothers are able to participate in these groups.

Hauser observes the children when they are most comfortable—when they are playing—and is able to offer her observations to the staff. Her input often allows staff to identify areas where the children may need help or counseling. The Youth Advocacy Program at the Center has benefited from Grandma Helen’s support.

Helen received the RSVP Outstanding Quality Service Award for her dedication and excellent service in 2006.