University of Portland student Audrey Tsai joined Helping Hands Hawaii in October 2020 as an intern while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in social work. She was hired on part time and plans to transition to full-time employment with our SNAP Outreach Program after she graduates. Let’s get to know Audrey!
Q: Why did you decide to do your internship at HHH?
A: When I was looking for an internship site for my practicum placement, I came across the Helping Hands Hawai‘i website. As I was reading through the general information about the agency, I found myself wanting to be a part of the mission statement. It has always been my dream to be the type of social worker to empower others in order to increase overall wellness of the community. Helping Hands Hawai‘i embodies the ideals that I value during my growth and journey as a social worker: empowering others, being compassionate and teamwork to make positive change.
Q: What has it been like working at HHH during the pandemic?
A: When I was first introduced to Helping Hands Hawai‘i and saw how close knit the agency was, I realized that I wanted to be a part of that – a workplace where everyone is familiar with one another and offers a support system within a place of employment. During this pandemic, safety is one of my top priorities because I am in close contact with my elderly relatives on a daily basis. Everyone here has been very understanding and considerate to their staff and clients’ safety, and every member of the team works together to keep everyone as safe as possible.
Q: What’s your favorite memory so far?
A: My favorite memory so far is going to an outreach event at Waimanalo called Dynamic Compassion in Action. This event is a food distribution drive that occurs twice a month. This event also happened to be my first outreach. During my time there, I was able to provide hands-on service to people within the community by going from car to car and informing people about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, while being socially distanced of course. I had the honor to work alongside my supervisor, Cheyona, who has not only been an amazing teacher but also a caring colleague. Prior to providing SNAP services to the individuals and families at this food distribution, Cheyona and I also assisted with packaging the produce into the boxes. I would have to say that this experience was love at first sight. During my first outreach, I have reconfirmed my passion in becoming a social worker.
Welcome to the ohana, Audrey! Thank you for your dedication to serving our community!
