Volunteer Spotlight - Alison Braaten

What inspired you to get involved with Amarillo Angels?
We value the mission and have time and love to spare without kids of our own at home. We both enjoy young people and know a strong mentor can make a huge difference in their lives. We honor the parents who step in to shelter and care for these youth and want to support in tangible ways, as well.

Can you share a memorable moment from your volunteer experience?
We recently experienced our first foster adoption by their family and the joy on their face when they got the news was a beautiful thing to witness. We’ve also seen them grow in so many ways we didn’t anticipate over the past 2 years. We’re blessed to know them and their parents because they bring us joy in countless ways.

What has been the most rewarding part of volunteering with Amarillo Angels?
Watching youth develop into the best version of themselves, and the simple joy of spending time with them.

Is there a particular story or experience you’d like to share about the impact you’ve made or witnessed?
I don’t have a particular story but we are greeting with big smiles and hugs every time we stop by. Coming from teens, that really means a lot to us!

What are your hobbies or interests outside of volunteering?
We travel a lot and love to hike. We enjoy visiting nieces and nephews all over Texas. We love to cook and are slowly learning to grow our own food.

What’s a fun fact about yourself that others might not know?
We volunteer with 5 different organizations in Amarillo as I teach full-time. We stay busy and love spending time with Amarillo and global students. We’ve hosted 5 exchange students and will visit many of them in Europe this summer!

What’s your favorite motivational quote or saying?
"It is not the critic who counts... The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - Theodore Roosevelt

Is there anything else you’d like us to include in your feature?
I couldn’t do any of this without the support of my husband, BJ Braaten. He is the best cheerleader.