Margot Wallen loves Seattle. She was born and raised here, and she has always wanted to give something back to the city that she cherishes.
“I’ve been here my whole life,” she said. “I love the city, and I’ve discovered that getting to help other people is an honor.”
Margot is a Seattle-based residential real estate agent working with clients buying and selling throughout the greater Seattle area. She specializes in listening to her clients to truly understand what it is that they both need and want – a technique that is serving her well in her volunteer work here at Compass.
“I want to learn more,” she said. “I want to make sure the volunteering I’m doing really helps people in the way that they need. I’m no expert on experiencing homelessness, but I can listen. I can learn. Just being around these women and seeing their light, their hopes and dreams, even with all of the challenges they’ve faced, is incredibly powerful”.
Margot formed MaF Club (Margot & Friends), a group of local professional women, with one focus being to volunteer to support other women in their community, particularly those facing significant hardship.
“Cascade resonated with me,” she said. “Everyone is deserving, and even though these women have gone through so much, that doesn’t change. They deserve to have a moment of joy. They deserve to be hopeful.”
The volunteer group decided to bring some holiday cheer to Cascade, providing gifts, decorations, a festive meal, and most importantly, a chance at togetherness, and a reminder that this community sees them.
Talking with the community, Margot realized she didn’t want the holiday event to be a one-off. The group had a ton of ideas that the women at Cascade mentioned or chatted about. Whether that is revitalizing the outdoor garden, learning financial literacy, or offering haircuts for residents.
“I know I have a million ideas,” she said. “But I will listen and be considerate. And I look forward to learning how I can be of service to these deserving women.”
At Compass, we are always looking for gracious, mindful volunteers like Margot and her friends.
If you want to find a way to get involved with any of our programs, you can reach out to volunteer@compasshousingalliance.org or just visit our website here: https://www.compasshousingalliance.org/how-you-can-help-2/ to see the variety of ways you can take part.
We would love to see you get involved!