<![CDATA[Project Volunteer - HOME]]>Wed, 04 Feb 2026 15:13:30 -0800Weebly<![CDATA[Volunteer Voices featuring Stacey Benge. From a homeless addict to a home owner and volunteer!]]>Mon, 02 Feb 2026 20:20:38 GMThttps://www.projectvolunteer.org/home/volunteer-voices-featuring-stacey-benge-from-a-homeless-addict-to-a-home-owner-and-volunteerIn 2015, Stacy Benge had a meth addiction that caused her to hit rock bottom when she lost her son, her home, her job, everything was taken away but her will to survive, and the hope that someday she would get her son back. She ended up in a recovery center that helped her get off of her meth addiction, and after completing the program, had nowhere to go. That's when Stacey came to the Daniel Pitino Shelter- where she found her love for volunteer work. 

​They had to do chores around the shelter to stay there. She knows that everything happens for a reason and her experiences shaped her into who she is today and her love for helping others. She would do different chores at the shelter and discovered she loved cooking for others. Stacey realized what a difference you can make doing something as simple as making a meal for someone when she volunteered to cook for a first responders thank you event. 

Stacey was a recipient for Fresh Start for Women, a transitional housing and support services for women . Stacey was the second person to receive their services. They were dependent on volunteers to get them up and going so she saw first hand the difference volunteers were making and it inspired her even more to want to give back. Stacey wouldn't be where she is today if it wasn't for other people's passion to volunteer. While living there, Stacey volunteered to help with events and other things they needed.

Stacy is proud to say “volunteering helped me with my mental health. This was a huge factor in keeping me sober because it gave me a sense of purpose. Volunteer work has made me who I am today”. 

She then applied for a Habitat for Humanity home and had to work many sweet equity hours helping other Habitat home owners, before she got her own. Seeing so many people volunteering to help with her home, who did not even know her and wanted nothing in return, enforced her love for serving others. 

After getting settled in her new Habitat home, she finally got her son back. She continued to volunteer at Fresh Start for Women and meet her goal of becoming an Impact 100 member that had supported all of the organizations that helped Stacey get back on her feet. She also started volunteering at Friends of Sinners, because she knew what the women were going through and could help them. Even Habitat for Humanity reached out and asked if she would volunteer to be on the Home Owners Committee, and she accepted with gratitude, and eventually became a board member there as well. 

Stacy says “through losing everything, I gained it all, a relationship with God who was carrying me through it all”. “I really think it's important to volunteer because it has a ripple effect when you volunteer. It’s great to give back to a community who is supporting you as well. I discovered who I was by helping others. Volunteering isn't just about helping others, it's about discovering a deeper sense of purpose within yourself. We all have the power to make a difference, no matter how small and I’ve seen first hand that service to others has the power to cure.”

Watch Stacy share her story on Project Volunteer TV www.projectvolunteer.org

By Skylar Hartloff]]><![CDATA[Love Thy Neighbor]]>Thu, 27 Jun 2019 07:00:00 GMThttps://www.projectvolunteer.org/home/love-thy-neighborSeveral years ago, as I was watching Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe, the idea occurred to me that I could use his concept of going into businesses and doing the job for a day, but instead, we go into non-profit organizations and volunteer for a day. I pitched the idea to some friend at a local Time Warner station in Owensboro, KY and they loved it. We did the show with local organizations for about 2 years.

I always believed the idea was bigger than just Owensboro and would go over big in other areas so I pitched the show to KET (The Kentucky Network) and they loved it. So we called it "VolunTour Kentucky" and filmed season one spotlighting Kentucky organizations. After the success of season one, we thought why not pitch to others TV stations around the country. 

So we rebranded the show to Project Volunteer and are now filming season two and plan on talking it to networks around the country.

I have always been a dreamer and believe that if this is from God, there will be no stopping how far it will reach and how many people the show will inspire to serve others. That is, after all, why we are here, to Love God and Love Others. Stay tuned to this website, and our FaceBook PAGE to get updates and be the first to know when the new season will air.
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