Meet Jesus Davila, our March Volunteer of the Month

Like many folks, March has been a tougher-than-usual month for us. We’ve all sailed into some uncharted waters. This makes us all the more grateful for our fiercely loyal (and strong, resilient, and brilliant) volunteers, who inspire us constantly! One of those volunteers is Jesus Davila, who has been hugely helpful to so many students in our Mission Bay programs. 

1. What is one of your favorite moments (memories, experiences or anecdotes!) from volunteering with 826 Valencia?

Each time I enter the Enchanted Forest at the Mission Bay Center is a special moment for me, but one of my favorite moments occurs each Tuesday at Bret Harte Middle School, when I look at the smiles of the kids seeing me enter their classroom and running to greet me. 

2. What led you to become part of our volunteer community? 

I started Volunteering at Laguna Honda Hospital in 1998, and I have also volunteered at the film festivals from CAAM and SFFILM for the past five years. But what brought me to 826 Valencia was my desire to help kids that are at risk of not completing their education. I lived in the Tenderloin from 1998 to 2010 and saw a lot of kids that needed help and guidance who were not getting it because of the area they lived in. That made an impact on my life and since then I decided that I will do everything in my power to help these kids to achieve their goals and dreams. 

3. Given a choice of the three, which would you choose: pirates, pufferfish, or woodland creatures? Why? 

Pirates. Since I was kid I have loved pirates stories — they just made my imagination fly like Peter Pan chasing Hook or Captain Harlot in his spaceship sailing through the universe. Pirates of the Caribbean is one of my favorite movies. 

4. What would we find you doing when not you’re not volunteering at 826? 

When I am not helping at 826 I am probably volunteering at the UCSF Children’s Hospital at Mission bay or at CCSF studying to become an architect. 

5. What is a piece of advice you would give a new 826 volunteer? 

Just come prepared for the adventure of a lifetime. 

 

Thank you, Jesus, for all that you do for our community!