December 2021: Volunteer of the Month

Jill Mashburn helps with sales in the Bakery during the 2021 Holiday Market.

Jill Mashburn has been serving Project Host as a volunteer and board member for nearly 10 years. Jill is a Sunday day captain and covers Christmas service every year to offer her Gift of Warmth to our guests. She can also be seen at virtually at all Project Host events and advocating for us in the wider community. Learn about how Jill came to love Project Host and why she dedicates so much time to our organization.

How did you hear about Project Host?

I contacted Project Host about building a Greenhouse in 2012 to celebrate Fluor’s centennial.  I had volunteered some years before that through a Hands On Greenville project.

What motivates you to spend your time at Project Host?

I love everything about Project Host. All the programs support one another, the staff are passionate about the work, the food served is delicious, and the folks served are a joy to be around.

What is your relationship to our Soup Kitchen guests?

I love volunteering in the Soup Kitchen.  The guests are just regular people, like you and me, but have experienced some hardships.  Being able to intermingle with them and feed them the best food that we have is a pleasure.  I love when they come up to the window to tell us (volunteers) what they enjoyed about the meal and even sometimes about what they didn’t like.

What’s your favorite part of volunteering?

I have worked many holidays in the Soup Kitchen and those are my favorite days.  Everyone (guests and volunteers) are cheerful and grateful. In the wintertime, we make coffee and serve it outside before lunch service begins. I love asking each guest how they like their coffee and fixing their cup. It’s those small moments of personal exchange that connect us.

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

Staff make it easy to love Project Host. Their passion for the mission is contagious.