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Summer intern leaves her mark on
Samaritan Ministry and shares her
story


Samaritan Ministry SE office volunteer intern Katie Koziara (left), pictured with SE
office lead caseworker Adrian Vaughn.

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On a humid June day, I got off of a bus on MLK Jr. Avenue in Southeast
DC and headed up the street toward Samaritan Ministry of Greater
Washingtons Southeast office. For the first week, I was uneasy about
living outside of my home state for the first time, nervous to remember
how to answer the phones and enter casework information, and anxious
to make a good first impression. I felt like I didnt step, but rather
leaped, out of my comfort zone. As the summer began to unfold,
however, I learned how valuable and rewarding this internship would be.

As an undergraduate student studying public policy, I spend the
school year learning about the problems that our nation faces. Working
at Samaritan Ministry this summer has given me the chance to engage
directly with individuals struggling with finding housing, employment,
and food. I have met participants that have lived with HIV for more years
than I have been alive, sat with participants who had limited computer
knowledge which made the online job application process nearly
impossible, and have listened to participants describe the tremendous
amount of stress that their situations put them under. And yet, through
all of these trials, participants show up to our office consistently and put
in the work to accomplish their goals.
Through my short time here, I have witnessed amazing progress.
Because I havent been here long enough to see a bunch of individuals go
from intake to employed, I define success at SMGW a bit differently. The
moments I look at to see that I have made a difference in my time here
are the moments where participants step outside of whats familiar to
them and grow. For example, a woman opened up during one of our
workshops and discussed how she has been silently dealing with panic
attacks and fellow participants provided her with comfort and
encouragement. An elderly man went from being nervous about
operating a computer to navigating job search websites with ease, and
one participant got his social security card, non-drivers ID, and birth
certificate so that he could leave his low-paying job and find better
employment.
This summer I left the familiar and explored the new. The
different people, experiences, and environment contributed to my
development, and I leave here a changed individual and with renewed
confidence that I can play a part in helping others challenge themselves
as well. Thank you to all of the participants, staff, and volunteers I have
worked with for being a blessing to me and reminding me every day that
the best way to grow is to jump out of your comfort zone.

- Katie Koziara
Volunteer Summer Intern, SMGW Southeast DC Office