Volunteer Spotlight: Terrance Harris
Advisory Committee Member – Family Relief Nursery 
Terrance Harris has a quiet manner, uplifting smile, and quick laugh, which are remarkable for anyone, let alone a man who lost a child. “You never know when you’ll need an organization like VOA,” he recalls quietly. “You have a sick child, a tragic loss, and you may not be able to handle your kids.”
Just a few years ago, Terrance and his wife Thomisha lost one of their five young children to a rare genetic disorder. Then their youngest girl got a fever and became hospitalized for the same condition. Despite being caring, attentive parents, Terrance and Thomisha, faced with grief and overwhelming medical debt, struggled to give to their other children. When a friend referred them to Family Relief Nursery, they found a program that specializes in providing early intervention to families under stress.
“Staff go above and beyond,” reflects Terrance with relief. “It’s not like a daycare – they do evaluations, home visits, provide resources. The support is genuine and real. And it was amazing not to have another bill.”
Terrance was also struck by how the staff and volunteers in the therapeutic classrooms teach children to love, be generous, and give back. His experiences had shown him how important that is and after his daughter made a full recovery, he continued to be a role model for his children through his own commitment to service.
“I want to be part of the foundation,” he states with conviction. “I want to ensure that services are around for others when the tragedy happens.” And with Terrance’s extensive community connections, FRN’s Advisory Committee is the just the place for him.
“Terrance is an amazing person with such a big heart,” says Michelle Reynolds, FRN Director. “It has been one of our goals to start a monthly family night with meals and activities for clients and Terrance has made that possible through his church.” But the infectious quality of Terrance’s dedication is rooted in his passion for the big picture.
“Men in our country feel a lot of distress,” Terrance shares with a tone of urgency. “Many are caught between negative images of their own dads and unattainable images of status in the media. I want to create an environment for men to see positive people, share their lives, and help each other. Feelings do not equal weakness.”
To build this community, Terrance leads a men’s group at his church where he can provide testimony and inspire men to become more involved in their families. And he sees volunteering with FRN is a first step towards building connections throughout VOA’s programs and the wider community.
“Terrance is immensely appreciative and acutely aware of the benefits of FRN,” says Gary Marschke, FRN’s Volunteer Coordinator. “He is extremely motivated to support others through both brains and brawn. His contacts in the community along with his enthusiasm regarding FRN make him one of our most valuable assets.”
“I want to follow my passion,” Terrance adds with a laugh. “But with my family, training engineers, and 12 hour shifts at work, it’s all about balancing my desires and understanding that with God all things are possible.” Through it all, he’s committed to FRN as the perfect place to start building strong families through service.
To learn more about FRN & view a video interview of Terrance, visit the FRN homepage.
Thank you, Terrance, for sharing with us your uplifting energy, exciting ideas, and commitment to family & community!
Article by Nancy Loso, Volunteer Services Manager
Photo by Nine.Eighty.Four Photography