Setting the Path to Stability: Meet Linda Klitzke, 2026 Brigid’s Hope Volunteer of the Year
Linda Klitzke, The Beacon’s 2026 Brigid's Hope Volunteer of the Year, has served as a volunteer mentor since 2019, walking alongside eight women in Brigid's Hope and offering steady, personal support on the long road to recovery and stability.
Linda moved to Houston from South Carolina in 2018. A retired marriage and family therapist, she was looking for a new way to give back. While browsing the Diocesan website, she came across Brigid's Hope and recognized a familiar name: an acquaintance who served on the board. She reached out to learn more, and a long partnership began.
In 2019, Linda trained as a mentor under the former Brigid’s Hope director Regina Walker, and she was matched with her first mentee that December. She credits Regina with laying the foundation for a mentoring model where mentors, staff, and participants all work together. Since then, Linda has mentored seven additional women. Not every journey lasted a full year, but each woman had someone in her corner.
What keeps Linda coming back is that Brigid's Hope stays with the women for the long haul. “Getting back on your feet takes far more than most people realize,” Linda shared. “Help with finances, healthy living, and life skills matters, but recovery is the most important piece for long-term success.” She loves that Brigid’s Hope gives each woman every opportunity to stay sober, and that they are also surrounded by others who are doing the same.
Linda has seen firsthand how much that support matters. Recently, one of her mentees had her credit card stolen. Over lunch, Linda could see how worried she was about what would happen next. With the help of a staff member, the situation was resolved within a day or so. For her mentee, the outcome mattered, but so did the lesson: that she could trust the Brigid's Hope team to be there for her.
Linda also appreciates the counseling services that are offered by Brigid’s Hope. While not every woman in the program participates in counseling, the professionals who offer services are excellent, and she has been consistently impressed at how well they are able to walk alongside the women and offer support without pressuring them. Linda referenced the course offered by Fred and Donna Lowe as another standout feature of the program. “The Only One Standing in Your Way is You” is an 8-week course that starts with the women identifying values important to them, then progresses to defining their purpose and mapping out a vision for their life.
Service has been part of Linda's life for decades. In Wisconsin, she spent most of her adult life volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club and the Children's Mental Health Alliance, experiences that shaped her desire to keep serving after retirement. In South Carolina, she volunteered with ACTS, a local social service agency. Since coming to Houston, she has also given her time to Lord of the Streets and Covenant House in addition to Brigid’s Hope.
Of all the agencies she has volunteered with, Linda says Brigid's Hope has the best track record. It is also the best fit for her, because she can relate to each woman individually, meet her where she is, and find out what will complement her recovery. When asked what she loved most about volunteering with Brigid’s Hope, Linda reflected, “Brigid’s Hope really helps me be consistent with my volunteerism. From monthly mentor meetings, group meetings with participants, and retreats, the structure offered really helps and it means so much that I can be a steady presence for my mentees.”
We are thankful to Linda for her years of faithful, compassionate service to the women of Brigid's Hope.
Applications for new mentors are currently paused, but you can visit our volunteer page or email volunteer@beaconhomeless.org to learn more about other ways to volunteer with The Beacon.
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