Suzanne Ryan was introduced to Northeast Arc “totally by accident,” but it turned into a match 30 years’ strong.
Ryan, a Lynn resident who had been living in Revere at the time, saw a posting in The Daily Item for a part-time position.
“My youngest was 4 at the time, so I was hesitant about 20 hours, but they said ‘how would you like to do 10 hours a week as a volunteer coordinator?’ and that was a good comfort level for me,” she said. “I was already active with the school PTA and as a library trustee, so it allowed me to continue with all of that. Looking back, it felt like it was my calling.”
Ryan eventually took on more hours and accepted a full-time role. As director of Volunteer Services, she is responsible for recruiting and matching volunteers for one-time projects or ongoing commitments. Volunteers serve a variety of roles, such as helping out with the bowling and basketball teams or with recreation activities such as BINGO. They also serve on committees, participate in community service projects, lend their skills by teaching a workshop or helping out with fundraisers. There are also opportunities for volunteers to lend an extra hand in the First Steps Childcare Center or the ArcWorks studio.
“It’s wonderful to be able to connect people with our participants and open their eyes,” said Ryan. “To me, that’s a big part of my mission.”
Though the pandemic limited the number of volunteers that could serve Northeast Arc, Ryan said some traditions were able to live on.
“Before COVID, we had Sunday night BINGO for 20 years, once a month, with different youth groups coming in,” she said. “We ended up continuing BINGO through Zoom and it was great. It really connected all of us.”
Originally from Queens, N.Y., Ryan relocated to New England when she married. She has a background in psychology. She has two children and two grandchildren.
