She says she spends an average of six to eight hours a month volunteering at Genesis. Her favorite part? “Your time is not wasted,” she says. “They are so organized and they treat their volunteers like royalty.” And after four years, she’s learned a lot about domestic violence—enough to help a friend out of a potentially dangerous situation.

Even when she’s not officially on duty at Genesis, Allison is helping countless women by simply spreading the word. “I’m always talking to people about [Genesis], and I’m always out there selling those cookbooks,” she says. “We have to create awareness if we want to change any patterns.”

Genesis offers flexible hours and opportunities and is always looking for volunteers. You can contact Lacy Deckard at (214) 389-7701 or fill out an application online at www.genesisshelter.org. Don’t live near Dallas? No problem. Genesis encourages you to contact a women’s shelter near your home to find out about their volunteer program.