Melissa Rift
(Denver YAV 15-16)
My name is Melissa Rift and I am going to be serving as a volunteer at the YAV/DOOR site in Denver for the 2015-2016 year of service. I was born in Louisville, KY where my parents worked for PCUSA and we moved to Dallas, TX when I was in middle school where my father served as the Associate Pastor of Preston Hollow Presbyterian Church. PHPC played a large role in my life both as an integral part of my family as well as offering countless opportunities for involvement in youth group activities, retreats, and leadership. After high school my twin sister and I moved to Missouri to attend the University of Missouri where I studied Human Development and Family Studies. At Mizzou I was involved in several campus organizations including my sorority Alpha Chi Omega where I served as the philanthropy chair for two years working closely with a local domestic violence shelter. After graduation I moved back to Louisville to attend the University of Louisville and receive my Master's degree in Social Work with a Specialization in Marriage and Family Therapy. I am excited for my year with YAV and DOOR because I believe it will foster my passion for working within communities around issues of social justice. I am excited to further explore my faith as well as continue to discover the ways in which faith and interfaith components can be incorporated in to mental health and social services.
