National Runaway Safeline

Many people find volunteering provides them with a sense of accomplishment and pride. It can be deeply satisfying to give back to others and to know you’re making a difference in people’s daily lives, on the environment, in a cultural setting, and more.

The National Runaway Safeline’s (NRS) volunteers selflessly share their time and talents to support youth in crisis. For Ashley, our July Volunteer of the Month, volunteering with NRS is personal.

Growing up, Ashley did not have a strong and supportive home life. When given an ultimatum at age 18, Ashley chose to leave home. At the time, she was not aware of NRS or other organizations that would have connected her to critical services, and today she wonders if her life might be different if she’d received support during that difficult period.

Ashley’s lived experience with homelessness influences how she approaches her role as a volunteer in the NRS Crisis Center. While everyone’s experiences are unique, Ashley has firsthand knowledge of what many youth who contact NRS may be enduring. She can relate to their struggles and appreciates being able to support young people and their families. When a crisis contact assures Ashley that they or their loved one is going to be safe and OK, she feels relieved and is grateful to have helped.

For Ashley, volunteering at NRS each week is among the most meaningful ways to spend her time. She is extremely passionate about helping youth who face physical, emotional, and other struggles, and enjoys being a part of the community of NRS volunteers.

When not volunteering, Ashley spends time with her husband of nearly six years, their two cats, and friends. She’s an experienced runner who developed a love for the sport at an early age and then ran Division III cross country in college. She’s completed the Bank of America Chicago Marathon, a half marathon, and other long distance races. Ashley says, “running makes me feel like the best version of myself and I know that if I can run a marathon, then I can tackle any obstacle that comes my way.”

Additionally, Ashley is an avid reader who enjoys classic Russian literature and names Crime and Punishment as her favorite novel. An accomplished video gamer, Ashley finds excitement in Zelda and other popular games on Nintendo like Super Mario.

As a senior research associate for a biotechnology startup in Chicago, Ashley is passionate about science and hopes to go to medical school. While her professional work helps people indirectly, Ashley sees volunteering with NRS and her goals of becoming a doctor as ways to improve people’s lives directly.

If you feel inspired by Ashley and would like to learn more about NRS’s volunteer opportunities, visit 1800RUNAWAY.org/volunteer.

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April 2024 Volunteer of the Month

The National Runaway Safeline (NRS) is proud to honor Amanda Sun as our Volunteer of the Month for a second time. Amanda began her journey with NRS in early 2021 as a 17-year-old in East Brunswick, New Jersey, with a mission to make a difference in the lives of young people facing uncertainty. Since then, Amanda has not only continued her invaluable contributions to NRS but has also embarked on her academic journey as a freshman at Brown University. 

March 2024 Volunteer of the Month

We’re excited to spotlight Nissa Petrewski, who has been voted as National Runaway Safeline’s Volunteer of the Month for March 2024. This is Nissa’s second time receiving this acknowledgement from the NRS Team, initially being celebrated in April of 2022.

Nissa’s was introduced to NRS at the Chicago Volunteer Expo hosted at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum. She was immediately drawn to the details of the organization’s training and preparation for volunteers. Inspired, she decided to complete training and take an active role on NRS’s front lines.

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