Volunteer of the month

Vanessa Charles

We are delighted to announce our volunteer of the month for January 2024- Vanessa Charles! We are grateful for her weekly storytime animation videos which the children adore! Here is what she has to say about her volunteer experience:

“I am extremely happy to be a volunteer with MinibiblioPLUS! I have been recording storytime videos for months, and I can’t help but feel fulfilled with joy after each video, knowing a kid will be able to dive into a book’s story along with me. The best part is knowing that storytelling can have a wonderful impact on so many young children, and us volunteers are able to do that! I loved reading since I was really young, so I feel honoured to be able to share my love for books with them. Another aspect of volunteering that I loved is that it helped me learn more about children’s books. Most of them are so touching and explore various important concepts such as love, respect or even hygiene, that are important for children to know. I’m always glad to be able to share this knowledge through my videos!”

Kassia Neckles

👏🤩 Congratulations to our last volunteer of the month for 2023, Kassia, who has been a precious volunteer animating storytime as well as assisting in our library. Here’s what she has to say about her volunteer experience:

” Among a myriad of other admirable objectives, minibiblioPLUS is committed to encouraging the joy of reading for all ages. As an aspiring librarian who is in the process of completing her MLIS degree, such a mission aligns succinctly with my own. Volunteering as a storytime animator at Garderie Sesame has been one of the most enriching experiences of my life — there are not enough words to effectively encapsulate the sheer joy that I derived from reading to the children, and from witnessing how enthusiastically they engaged with the texts. This experience has not only deepened my dedication to promoting literacy but has also armed me with the skills needed to continue doing so.”

Grethel Matthews

👏🤩 Congratulations to our November volunteer of the month, Grethel, who has been an amazing storytime animator. Here’s what she had to say about her volunteer experience:

“I started volunteering with MinibiblioPLUS almost two years ago and I can confidently say it has been the most wonderful experiences of my life! Not only did I truly realize the importance of early literacy in our society and how much of a struggle it still is for many families to have the necessary resources to develop it in their children, I also realized how rewarding and fulfilling it is to try to do my part in making it better. Programs like these are SO necessary to make sure every child has access to develop their full potential from an early age. I feel incredibly privileged to have the opportunity to combine my own passion for reading with my personal mission of doing what I can to make our community grow stronger. I have made lifelong friends not only in the daycares with the beautiful children that every day amaze me with their ability to retain and process information but also in the wonderful family that is the minibiblioPLUS staff. Volunteering with them has also helped me develop my own skills and grow more confident and I have seen that same impact in the children I work with. I am forever grateful I took the leap to try something new and can only encourage anyone that might be hesitating to join : Do it, it’s 1000% worth it!” 

We are delighted to announce our volunteer of the month for June 2023: Luna Zhang! She worked with us for a few weeks as part of a partnership with UQAM. In the photo Luna Zhang (right) with our Executive Director, Asha Dixit (left). Here is what Luna had to say about her experience:

” I am deeply honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to volunteer with MinibiblioPLUS for over a month. Storytime at the local kindergarten has been an incredibly rewarding experience, and assisting the marketing team in the office has been equally fulfilling. I would like to extend my appreciation to the staff for their warm welcome and assistance. Their teamwork and collaborative spirit have made my volunteer experience both enjoyable and educational. Their teamwork and collaborative spirit have made my volunteer experience both enjoyable and educational. This recognition motivates me even more to put my best foot forward and make a positive impact on my future life.”