From Alvis volunteer to Alvis team member, Brittany Lutz has quite the story to tell. She first began as one of our volunteers in the Summer of 2020. Her passion for yoga and helping other individuals “water their gardens” led her to our CHAT Program. CHAT (Changing Habits, Attitudes, and Thoughts) is an Alvis residential recovery program that serves survivors of human trafficking. CHAT works closely with the CATCH Court of Franklin County to provide a supportive space for survivors to receive treatment and work toward turning their lives around by 180 Degrees.
We had the pleasure of asking Brittany a few questions about her journey from volunteering to employment at Alvis. Here’s what she had to say:
What motivated you to become an Alvis volunteer?
I was first introduced to Alvis by a former coworker, and she had mentioned reaching out to Amethyst, which I later found out was a program of Alvis. I had expressed that I was looking to do an internship in-person with women. I was determined to offer my karma yoga experience and was willing to wait to find the right match. I had reached out and was a little hesitant at first because I wasn't sure where and what program I would be volunteering for. I remember setting up a phone interview with Priscila and letting her know what I was about and what I was looking to offer during my time as a volunteer. She had mentioned 3 different programs that she would look into for me, but I vividly remember getting chills when she had let me know about the CHAT program. I had seen two mothers suffer from the crippling crutches of addiction and was so motivated to offer up a new form of physical exercise to offer alternative coping mechanisms.
How did your experience as a Karma Yoga instructor at CHAT influence your decision to become an Alvis team member at CHAT?
During my time as an Instructor I got to see a glimpse of the work that was being done through this program. I saw the passion and care the employees had to encourage these women to continue on in their journey through sobriety. When my time came to an end I had this unexplainable desire to be a part of the program in whatever way I could again. I took some time and eventually wandered onto the website and saw they were hiring. I knew instantly I was supposed to apply and this was my opportunity to not only be a part of the wonderful work that is being done here, but I was finally able to see women succeed first hand despite the struggles of addiction.
What is your favorite part about working at CHAT?
My favorite thing about working here is the opportunity to not only water my own garden and nurture certain aspects of myself, but I get to help other women water their gardens as well. This job really provides the chance for all parties involved to bear fruits in abundance and it has been a blessing and a privilege to be able to be open and receptive to that. We are women supporting other women and I couldn't think of any greater way to exist as a woman than to help cultivate a community where women continuously uplift and encourage other women.
Thank you, Brittany! We are so lucky to have you in the Alvis community.
To learn more about ways you can get involved on a volunteer basis, contact volunteer@alvis180.org. If you are interested in joining the Alvis team, check out our current list of open positions.