I volunteer because I am here and I can.

“At Bonaventure House, I don’t have the desperation that I was living in,” says David.

During his first 15 months in our program, he has had the time, opportunity, and resources to figure out what he wants to do and work towards those goals.

David has returned to his profession as a hairdresser. In the 1980’s, he had a successful salon on Chicago's Halsted Street. But after returning to the city in 2001, he developed a pattern of losing jobs due to his drinking. He was unhappy. His drinking was progressively getting worse.

Finally, David went to rehab.

His case manager at the time suggested that David volunteer at Camp Getaway in Wisconsin. It is a week-long camp for families affected by HIV/AIDS. Either a child or parent is infected with the disease. David is a camp counselor and he is assigned a family. During the day, David works with children ages four to six, doing various activities with them for the whole day. This will be this third year at the camp.

David also volunteers at the Chicago Children’s Museum. He chose to volunteer there because they have an art program for children. All of his volunteer work concerns children.

“I like the innocence and that they aren’t already corrupt,” he says, “They have that inquisitive look.”

David volunteers because he wants to give back things that were given to him.

He was diagnosed with HIV in 1991 during the early years of the AIDS crisis. A lot of his friends died.

“In the back of my mind I do these things for them because I am here and I can," he says.

Since coming to Bonaventure House, David has developed another lifelong passion, art. He was always artistic. However, he didn’t want to live the “starving artist” life so he chose to be a hairdresser because it is artistic and he could make money.

Now he has time to develop his own style with drawing. David’s room is filled with his work. He has given many pieces to staff and other residents. His goal is to sell at street fairs and galleries in Chicago.

Between his art, volunteering, and working as a hairdresser, David is one of the busiest residents at Bonaventure House. He also does service work with Alcoholics Anonymous.

“Staying active does a lot for my soul and me mentally,” he says. "My life is completely different. Now, I do whatever I can for whomever I can whenever I can.”