Bridge Refugee Services Chattanooga

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Chattanooga branch, we would like to introduce you to two of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Mary and Rick Sieger.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

We started volunteering with Bridge about 4 years ago in the summer of 2022.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

We were introduced to Bridge by a friend at our church, First Centenary UMC. We were interested and committed to serve with Bridge largely due to Mary's growing up in Peru for 15 years in a missionary family.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

Mary became very appreciated by staff and clients for fluent Spanish and Rick for furniture funds and set up assistance. The ability to provide transportation for individuals and families of 6-8 people was also very important. We have good memories of meeting inbound refugees at the airport, introducing them to their new home, and being grateful for all we had as a family ourselves.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

We've heard first-person accounts of today's circumstances of hunger, poverty and fear in refugee homelands that have made the United States seem a safe haven and an opportunity for prosperity and safety in a new land. May that remain true.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Knoxville branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Celia Niebler.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I have been volunteering with Bridge since September 2025.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

I was introduced to the opportunity through a friend who had been in contact with Peter about starting an ELL class at UT Medical Center. When she asked if I’d be interested in helping teach, I was immediately excited about the idea of supporting others through language learning and getting involved in the community in a meaningful way.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I’ve primarily been involved in teaching the ELL class, which has been an incredibly rewarding experience. Beyond helping students improve their English, I’ve really valued the relationships built in the classroom. One of my favorite memories from teaching has been getting to know all of the students and being able to tailor some of the lessons towards their interests and needs. I think one of the best classes was our most recent one. We were able to break the class into two teams, and they competed in different games.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

Before this experience, I had never been a teacher, so it’s been really rewarding to learn how to engage students and adapt to different learning styles. I’ve also gained a deeper appreciation for the local community and the diverse backgrounds of the people within it. One of the most unique parts of this program is the opportunity to teach students directly at their workplace, which makes learning more accessible and immediately relevant to their daily lives. It’s been inspiring to be part of something like that, and I hope the program continues to grow and succeed even after I move on.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Knoxville branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Stella Ashong.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I have been volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services since September 2025.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

I was inspired to volunteer with Bridge Refugee Services because of my academic training in sociology (criminology), which has shaped my interest in issues of migration, social justice, community integration and how social structures, inequality, and institutional processes affect marginalized populations, including those navigating displacement and resettlement. As a sociologist, I am particularly interested in how individuals and families rebuild their lives and adapt to new social environments after experiencing disruption. Bridge’s mission strongly resonates with both my scholarly interest and my personal commitment to service, and I saw volunteering as an opportunity to apply my academic knowledge in a meaningful way while also learning from the lived experiences of refugee communities.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

During my time volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services, I have contributed to both administrative and direct service efforts, including assisting with data processing and recovery, organizing donated supplies and participating in food rescue initiatives by collecting surplus food from local restaurants and grocery stores for distribution to refugee families. These activities closely connect to my major in Sociology, particularly my focus on social inequality, institutional processes, and community reintegration. My work in criminology emphasizes how structural systems shape access to resources and inclusion, and volunteering with Bridge has allowed me to engage these issues in a practical context—supporting populations who often face marginalization and systemic barriers. One of my most meaningful experiences was participating in food rescue and distribution to families, given that these efforts had an immediate impact on their well-being, bringing relief and a sense of care to newly arrived families. This reinforced my understanding that addressing social harm and promoting stability—central concerns in criminology—often begins with meeting basic needs and fostering supportive community networks.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

Volunteering with Bridge has deepened my appreciation for resilience and the strength of individuals facing displacement. I have learned that integration is a complex process shaped not only by structural factors but also by everyday interactions and community support.

On a personal level, I have become more aware of the importance of patience, cultural humility, and active listening. I have also gained a deeper understanding of how local communities can play a vital role in fostering inclusion and belonging. This experience has reinforced my belief that meaningful social change happens not only through policy but also through relationships and shared humanity.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Chattanooga branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Joshua Morgan.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I've been a mentor with Bridge since November 4, 2025.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

My motivation was the opportunity to use the privileges I was born with (i.e., native English-language proficiency and U.S. cultural capital) to help others acclimate to their new circumstances.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

As a youth mentor, I have enjoyed getting to know my mentee's interest. Getting to know her CliftonStrengths was informative because we both have the "Learner" talent in common in our top five results. Additionally, observing her comedic expressions as we read a fantasy comic book together has been hilariously memorable.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

Through mentoring, I've learned that I can problem solve through language barriers better than I initially thought — especially when I have a patient and inquisitive mentee collaborating with me. I've also noticed that Bridge is a unifying force for good in the Greater Chattanooga area; I've met several university employees and students who've been volunteering with Bridge for quite some time!

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Chattanooga branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Sydney Roberts.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I started volunteering with Bridge in December 2024

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

I had heard about the work Bridge did for years but I wanted to be a part of that work after the 2024 elections. Our country is built on the aspirations of immigrants. I wanted to be a part of the welcoming party.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I am part of a support circle for a specific family. I am happy to receive all the hugs and witness the strength and growth of this family in our community. Also, I get to practice my Spanish. Last Halloween, I invited my teenaged client to Lake Winnie for her birthday. She chose to ask her 4 year old sister to join us rather than a school chum. We had so much fun and I could see how much love was there even when things were difficult.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

I appreciate those who believe that our country is better for its diversity. I feel like I am making a difference that is important to me.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Knoxville branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Diane Boles.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I’ve been volunteering since summer 2025.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

As a KCS ESL teacher since 2012, I was always impressed with the work Bridge did for my refugee students and their families. I knew that when I retired, I wanted to give any way I could to this great organization. Now I am!

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I have mostly been doing Food Rescue and enjoy the friendships I’ve developed with the staff at the stores I pick up from. I’ve also done some in-house random volunteering and have delivered Christmas gifts to clients! A favorite memory is delivering gifts to a family only to find out two kids in the family were former students of mine!

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

There are many great opportunities to give back in our community!!

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Knoxville branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Bruce Haas.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I started working with Bridge sometime before COVID, as my home parish, Church of the Good Samaritan, sponsored a family from Iraq.

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

I helped move furniture into the family's new apartment and helped with transportation needs. Then one day the parents called me to ask if I would take their son with developmental disabilities out for an excursion on his 16th birthday. It was a rewarding day touring downtown Knoxville with him, and it also gave his parents a needed break. That experience prompted me to sign up for other opportunities.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I worked closely with a 20-yr old from Iraq as a mentor, helping him maneuver his way through financing and enrollment in ESL classes to eventually be able to enroll in a Biology major at Pellissippi State! I worked with middle schoolers in an online "virtual" tutoring mode, mostly helping them practice speaking English. For one summer, I shuttled three kids from a Syrian/Jordanian family to attend their summer camp at Annoor Academy. As part of the Rainbow Initiative, I welcomed incoming LGBTQ refugees at the airport, including an unusual weekend with a q***r person from Kurdistan who spent the weekend in our home. Now I am assisting in providing transportation to appointments and with the food recovery programs. While every opportunity has its rewards, I particularly valued my mentorship with my Pellissippi State student.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

What I have learned from my experiences with Bridge is to embrace all people as they are, without judgment, but with respect for them and the difficulties they have had (which we all have) in life. As a former international exchange student back in college, I have been drawn to the perspectives, the struggles, the humanity of peoples around the world most of my life. I have visited a few places where poverty, injustice, or just hard living is a daily struggle for the people living there - in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. To be able to welcome people into this country of abundance and give them safety/security in a very strange (and sometimes non-accepting) land, is a blessing to me.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Chattanooga branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Chip Alford.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

9 months

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

I've always been deeply curious about other cultures and countries, and I believe immigration is one of the forces that has made America strong. Through my travels around the world, I’ve had the privilege of meeting people from many backgrounds, and those experiences have enriched my life in meaningful ways. I also recognize immigration fuels economic growth, fills labor gaps, fosters innovation and strengthens communities through cultural diversity. On a personal level, immigration is part of my own story: I have extended family members who emigrated to the U.S., and I’ve traced my ancestry back to England and Scotland. Volunteering felt like a natural way to give back and support others seeking the same opportunities that have shaped my own life.

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I've really enjoyed teaching clients how to take advantage of technology to build quality resumes, search for jobs online, and use AI to better prepare for job interviews. I'm impressed how hard they are willing to work to prepare themselves for potential career growth.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

I've learned that even though I am retired, it's important for me to give back to my local community. I have the time, and It gives me a feeling of purpose and contribution. That's very rewarding!

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Chattanooga branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Anna Gobel.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I’ve been volunteering/interning since August 2025!

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

As a social work major at UTC, I found out about Bridge thanks to my school. I was immediately intrigued by how there’s so many ways to get involved. Since Bridge’s goal is self-sufficiency after resettlement, I really liked the range of opportunities in ways I could assist!

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I have two activities that are super memorable! I introduced this client to Chattanooga’s local transportation system, CARTA, but it was funny because it was my first time on the bus too! (We tried again another day to get more confidence.) The other time was taking a client to Bridge’s office for the Tech Goes Home class. On the last day of the TGH class, we threw a party and exchanged gifts and ate homemade food. It was very memorable.

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

Since being at Bridge, I look at human connection in a different light. Active listening, empathy, and simply being present opens the opportunity to form deeper, meaningful connections. The clients of Bridge have taught me so much.

During Volunteer Appreciation Week, we want to recognize, thank, and honor all of our dedicated Bridge Volunteers.

With flexibility and patience, our volunteers give Bridge and our clients their valuable time, skills, and often, their treasures, too.

Bridge would not be able to welcome and serve refugees to help them preserve their Dignity, Hope, and Opportunity without our volunteers' selfless service.

Today, from our Knoxville branch, we would like to introduce you to one of our valued and dedicated volunteers, Tom Job.

1. How long have you been volunteering with Bridge?

I’ve been a volunteer with Bridge since 2021 (if I remember right)!

2. What inspired you to start volunteering with Bridge Refugee Services?

Tina and I have always had a heart for refugees and immigrants for a couple of reasons. We moved with three kids to Italy for 11 years (and we had our fourth in Florence!) in 1985. This was before cell phones and the internet, so we know what it is like to be in a country where initially we didn’t understand anything, paid $5.00 per minute to call family or friends long-distance, and often felt far from home! We didn’t have a car and walked to the grocery and everywhere else we went, unless we took buses or trains. So we know just a little of what our immigrant friends are experiencing when they arrive here.

In Milano, where we had churches to care for, we had so many church members and friends who were refugees and immigrants from all over. Our churches were so enriched by congregations of Italians, but also Arabic members from Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan, as well as Nigerians, Brazilians, Bolivians and Filipinos! One of our churches had members from 17 countries during our years there!

At times we had 10 to 20 Egyptians at our home for Christmas because they were far from home as well. I learned so much about why people are constrained to leave their home countries, and the pain and sorrow they experience, as well as all they bring and the richness of life lived together in community when it’s full and international!

3. What are some of the volunteer activities you’ve been involved in, and could you share a favorite memory or moment from your time with us?

I’ve been involved in welcoming arrivals at the airport, helping them get established with jobs, teaching English, and translating in a variety of settings.

One of my opportunities was to help a Tanzanian friend with English and getting a job (and a bike to get there). We used to meet at Yassin’s where he was working, and I would help him with his drivers’ license test preparation. We would take online tests and

I’d usually miss more questions than he did! Once after he missed 3 questions and I missed 8, he looked at me and said, “Teacher, are you sure it is safe for you to drive?”

4. What is something you’ve learned about yourself, our local community, or the world while volunteering with Bridge?

In my faith community, care for immigrants and refugees is very important; to “love the immigrant who lives among you” is the 2nd most frequent command of the Old Testament! As a pastor, I love to educate others about this and I love, not only helping but, advocating for my immigrant friends!