When work at his day job was a little slow, Phil Zimmerly contacted Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic to see if there were any volunteer cases he could take. That’s how he met Artis.

In case you missed it, this April, we highlighted our amazing team of volunteers, sharing stories of their most meaningful client interactions, exploring their reasons for giving back, and learning how volunteering nourishes them in turn. We kicked off the month with a special message from Volunteer Coordinator Kathleen Bloxsome.

Waiting with the others in court that morning, Phil was fascinated by the eclectic mix of people and their reasons for being there. Everyone had a story. There were those who were divorced, wanting to rid themselves of the name they had taken on as a newlywed. There were children who were being adopted, now bestowed with new names to match their new family. Phil marveled at the ceremony and power as the judge declared for each person, “You will forever be known as—” before christening them anew. “It felt like a religious moment,” Phil says to me now.