Volunteer turned Episcopal Community Services employee.
Avyane Osborne is one of the founding members of The Young Friends Circle of Episcopal Community Services. She has been an active volunteer at St. George St. Barnabas Episcopal Church in West Philadelphia practically her whole life.
Avyane has participated in the monthly Cook-Off at St. Barnabas Mission. She ended up finding the time cooking with others in an industrial kitchen rewarding.
Currently, she leads the Schuylkill Deanery (seven churches) once a month with a clothing drive. Assisting the underprivileged with their clothing needs has been a long-time passion.
In 2008 and 2009 as part of the Dress for Success charity, Avyane volunteered many hours, helping dress women for future success with donated gently used clothing and accessories. “I loved it!” she said. “It was very enriching to help someone build her confidence. When you volunteer you give a lot but you also take a lot, especially when you can help people feel better about themselves.”
Avyane helped found a Young Friends group at Dress for Success so when asked to bring the concept to ECS, she already had experience.
What inspired her about the idea of a Young Friends contingent?
She readily admits, “I love being Episcopalian. It’s so inclusive, always so giving and accepting of everyone. I am happy to spread the word about ECS and the work it does.”
Avyane attributes her interest in volunteering to her mother, who rooted the idea with her from a very young age. She has spent so much time at the ECS offices as a volunteer and supporter that she was recently offered a full-time position. Her new title is Assistant Director of Development.
“I am so honored to be working for ECS,” she said. With past positions in sales and healthcare, she is thrilled for the opportunity to use her skills to build a growing social service agency in Philadelphia. Everyone already knows her heart is in the right place.