Volunteer Nisha is helping DRMM rebuild Detroit—one life at a time

Nisha has a heart for the needs of others. And she knows without a doubt that she can and is making a difference in a great many lives—and in the future of Detroit—by serving as a volunteer at DRMM.

“I’ve volunteered most of my life. It’s just something you do. You get involved, you help out,” Nisha says. “So when I moved to Detroit a couple of years ago, I thought, I want something to do other than hit the mall today. After my first day at DRMM, I felt I could volunteer for a couple of hours a week.”

Her first day was in the kitchen, working alongside a teen-aged volunteer. “He asked me why I was there and I explained that I just wanted to spend my Saturdays in a different way. I asked him the same question, and he said, ‘If I don’t volunteer, who is going to be there for Detroit? It has to be people like us. Our parents did it, and now it’s our turn. We have to take care of this city, otherwise, it will just turn to nothing.’”

The young man’s words compelled Nisha to return, again and again, serving in many capacities. The most challenging by far was a request for Nisha to organize a job fair, where local employers could meet people looking for work. The experience was tough, but Nisha did a wonderful job and is looking forward to tackling a similar venture in the future. “I really believe that employing people in Detroit is what’s going to get our city up and running,” she says.

Nisha is making a difference in a great many lives, but she insists that the people she helps are making an incredible difference in her own life, too. “They’re not just charity cases that we’re trying to help. They’re people and they’re our brothers and sisters. We’ve got to help them. If we don’t get involved, no one is going to care. Detroiters have to care about Detroiters, otherwise it’s never going to work.

“Volunteering is food for your soul. It heals wounds and bad feelings. Volunteer and you’ll feel better. I guarantee it.”