Valencia is a volunteer for Sanctuary for Families for over 20 years now. Valencia, from Brooklyn, knew from the start that she wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. In 1997, fresh out of college and waiting to begin her career as a teacher, she began as a volunteer at Sanctuary for Families. On Thursday evenings, you’ll find Valencia at Sanctuary with the young children, some as young as two and others on the brink of adolescence, while their mothers are taking classes. She infuses their time together with security, as well as fun. Sometimes they work on homework; other times they paint, draw or play with new toys and find new enjoyment in familiar ones. 

Valencia has also she spent part of her summers as a volunteer counselor at Camp Hope New York, where children of Sanctuary’s clients spent a week upstate just having fun, without fear of violence.

Sanctuary honored Valencia this past June, as a “Pillar of Change” at their annual volunteer recognition event.