In a perfect world, there would be no need for Louise Canter's work. But, she says, shaking her head, “Human nature being what it is . . .”

Louise Canter volunteers at the Welcome House of Northern Kentucky. (Enquirer photo) | ZOOM |

        The work in question is Welcome House Outreach (WHO), an auxiliary of about 30 women who raise funds and provide volunteer and support services of Welcome House of Northern Kentucky, a 20-year-old agency that provides emergency services — everything from shelter to food, counseling, clothing — to at-risk women and children, in the neighborhood of 10,000 clients a year.

        It's needed work, says Linda Young, Welcome House's executive director: “Do you know that on any given night there are 700,000 homeless people on the streets? And that the average age of them is 9? Welcome House is here to serve as many of them as we can.

        “Our goal is to make them self-sufficient, healthy members of the community, but I'm not sure we'd be able to do it as well without the help the women in WHO.”

        The work WHO does, says Ms. Canter, a 55-year-old Villa Hills mother of two grown children and founder of the annual WHO's Coming To Dinner Gala, is whatever needs doing. She'll tell you fund-raising is a big component, but clients and staff who work with WHO will tell you “heart” is an even bigger component.

        Like the home-cooked meals they frequently bring in for the 30 or so clients housed in Welcome House's shelter. Or the meals they bring in for recognition dinners, celebrations Welcome House throws for clients who pass the six-month mark on a job.

        “The dinners are so wonderful,” Ms. Canter says, “because no one has ever celebrated these women before and when we do, you can see them beam. They really seem to build their self-esteem and self-confidence, and if we can do that, I think we're making a contribution.”

        Ms. Canter has herself been making a contribution for seven years. “We moved here in 1989 for my husband's job. I'm a librarian, but I decided to be a stay-at-home mom But I also decided that if I was going to stay home, I was also going to make a difference. So I started volunteering at my daughter's school. Seven years ago, friends recruited me for WHO, and I've loved every minute of it.”

        Today, Ms. Canter manages WHO's data base, works as secretary for the organization — “I've been carefully avoiding the job of presidency” — and, well, mops floors, cleans potties, works the food pantry, bakes cookies and does whatever else needs doing.

        Her biggest contribution has been engineering the WHO Dinner Gala, an event that brings a national celebrity to town for a black tie mix "n' mingle, dinner and lecture. This year it was actor and humanitarian Danny Glover. The event made $40,000, a sum Welcome House used to augment its other funding sources — federal, state and local governments, foundations and the consortium of churches that founded the place 20 years ago.

        “It's funny how the dinner happened,” Ms. Canter says. “I was visiting my hometown in upstate New York a few years ago and there was a newspaper story about a speaker's series that made big dollars for its organization. I figured if they can do it, so can we.”

        And so they did. Past speakers have included news anchor Ann Curry and weatherman Al Roker. Next year, Ms. Canter has her sights set on either Oprah Winfrey or John Grisham, “If we can afford them. I don't know, but I plan on going after them.

        “And I know it sounds like a lot, all we do, but honestly, it's a labor of love and something that has made us a very close group. As much a family as any family out there.

        “Awhile back I had knee surgery and for two weeks after I got home I had dinner delivered to my door. I didn't cook for two weeks. Maybe three if you count leftovers.

        “Right now we need volunteers badly, and I know people think, "Oh, more work, I don't have enough time as it is.' But honestly, it's not like that. It's more like a family having fun while doing something really important.”

        The women of WHO are like that, says Ms. Young: “People like Louise and her fellow volunteers understand that the only difference between them and our clients is they had choices, options which allowed them to lead a different sort of a life.”

        Ms. Canter won't sit still for that or any praise: “You do things because you can. If you can help, you should. And it's such a very good feeling.”

        A good feeling like the one they get after their annual Spring Shower, a party WHO throws for clients leaving the shelter and setting up a home of their own. Just like a bridal shower, they stock them up with every kind of household supply imaginable — mops, pots, pans, brooms, cleaning supplies, personal hygiene stuff, the works.

        “It sounds so simple,” Ms. Young says, “just simple cleaning supplies. But remember, these are often people with absolutely nothing. To then it's important to get the stuff, and I think maybe even more important that they recognize that someone cares.

        “That's what I love so much about this group. I can pick up the phone day or night, ask for help and get it. And they never, ever, expect anything in return. I can't imagine making Welcome House succeed without them being there for us.”

        The Cincinnati Enquirer/STEVEN M. HERPPICHWelcome House Outreach welcomes new volunteers. Get information at www.welcomehouseky.org.

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