Making a difference in your community may seem hard for many. Lots of people think that in order to create change you need to make a huge gesture, but simply volunteering some of your time can make a world of a difference.

At LCH we have been able to create various opportunities for people of our community and beyond to give back. We are thankful for their generosity to LCH and all of our patients that are impacted by their help. One of our volunteers is Juan Luis Garcia Tafolla.

Juan has been volunteering at LCH since the start of his junior year and had made a great impact on our team. He first heard about LCH and its volunteering opportunities from his family who are patients.

“The reason I wanted to volunteer at LCH is because I wanted to interact with the community and help spread the mission of LCH”, said Juan.

Since we first met Juan, we have learned a lot about him and his goals on continuing to make his mark in the community. Juan said, “My future plans are to go to college and get a degree in political science and hopefully be in the Pennsylvania General assembly as a State Senator or State Representative to serve the people of my community and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.”

Through volunteering at LCH, Juan has seen firsthand the multiple ways we strengthen our community. “My work has helped others by showing them the great things LCH has to offer. For example, when I participated in LCH’s annual coat drive which distributed coats to the community. When I go to town and I see the kids wearing the coats that I helped to distribute at LCH’s coat drive, keeping them warm, I know I made a difference.”

We love bringing people together who care about our community as much as we do, and we are extremely grateful for our LCH volunteers. It’s a gift to see others learn and actively work with us to put resources in the hands of those who need them.

“Volunteering is important to me because it helps me engage with the community and meet new people of different backgrounds and history. It’s helping to create a positive impact in the community.”

If you or someone you know is interested in volunteering visit https://lchcommunityhealth.org/get-involved/