One of the perks of getting to know our volunteers is learning about all their incredible talents and interests. Darla is no exception! Darla is a caseworker at Circle, but we first got to know her through another passion of hers – knitting. Through the years she has donated knitted hats, scarves, pot holders, and more to Circle families and even treated the staff to some of her creations one holiday. Now she’s a caseworker and sharing another talent – being a great listener.
Darla does a wonderful job of offering a variety of resources to clients during their case appointment, but says she always tries to end their appointment with a touch of humor, as a small way to bring some joy into their lives. Darla describes working with clients as a win – win, saying she benefits from client interaction as well. She has been really touched by clients, seeing them persevere through difficult situations, and in the end, overcoming hurdles to reach a milestone or achieve success. In particular, she mentioned an unhoused client that she sees each month, who recently found a job and is working to get into a sustainable living situation. She also shared about a client that loves to cook and talked Darla into trying a cabbage recipe. It’s quite admirable how she connects with clients!
When she’s not helping clients or knitting (she’s a member of the St. Louis Knitting Guild), Darla also enjoys NFL football, strength training, interior design and a host of other fun interests and hobbies!
Darla feels that there are “little miracles happening everyday at Circle. Clients are fortunate to have a place like Circle to come to not only for groceries but for a wide variety of assistance and genuine caring. We are blessed to get to help them and to get to know them as well.” Such a great perspective, thank you Darla!
