Meet Rachel Rigdon – one of our newest group facilitators! Rachel completed our Summer Facilitator training and is joining S&D IV night in the Young Teen group. Volunteers are a vital part of our program, and we are excited to have her join our existing group of dedicated volunteers. Rachel is a Pediatric Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator at Cook’s Children, who has referred families to our program. She will now be able to experience helping families in another capacity at The WARM Place. Read more about Rachel and get to know her caring and fun personality!
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am an Ordained United Methodist Deacon serving as a Pediatric Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator. I am passionate about creating safe spaces for bereaved parents and children to feel seen and heard in their grief journey. My husband and I also run an in-home pet sitting business and we specialize in dog snuggling and pet photography. It is an excellent balance from my day job!
What brought you to The WARM Place as a volunteer?
I am constantly referring patients and families to TWP and have heard nothing but amazing stories of hope and healing. In this season of COVID, it became more important to me to give back to the community and TWP was the perfect fit. I have been nothing short of impressed with the comprehensive training and intentionality in grief support. I have also enjoyed getting to know other WARM Place volunteers.
What are you most looking forward to in volunteering at The WARM Place?
I am looking forward to being involved in pediatric grief support and adding new tools to my own toolbox. As a facilitator, I am looking forward to seeing the children and teens in my group find connection and strength within the group and each other.
Share a fun fact about yourself…
I love to try new restaurants and coffee shops. I started writing Yelp reviews back in 2012 and have earned the title Yelp Elite from writing over 1,000 reviews and taking more than 3,000 photos! Because of that, I get to enjoy new restaurant openings and recommendations from the Yelp community. I am also a Peloton enthusiast, hammock lounger, and avid reader.
Thank you Rachel for your dedication to The WARM Place’s mission! Our volunteers are truly the heart of our program. If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities at The WARM Place please contact Rebecca Peterson, Volunteer and Program Coordinator at rebecca@thewarmplace.org.
