Lisa Raises the Bar at Homework Club
Earlier this week, I ran into my friend Lisa O’Mailey — one of our faithful Homework Club volunteers — at The Federal Credit Union just a few blocks from Greenhouse. She was greeted warmly by their staff – she seems to know everyone in this town!
I’ve known Lisa through her service at Homework Club over the past three years. Week after week, she shows up with consistency, conviction, and deep care for the young people of Chester.
How Lisa Connected with Greenhouse
“Three years ago I called up Pastor John after hearing about Homework Club from City Team,” she said. “I wanted to know more. I talked to John and wanted to get involved. I’m trying to make a difference where I can with these kids. I want to make Chester a better place.”
Lisa was born blind, something she describes not as a limitation, but as part of her calling.
When we sat down to chat, she called it “an inconvenience, not a disability,” and spoke with confidence about her life and purpose: “God made me blind for a reason. I don’t need to know why. I’m supposed to make the best of it for Him. I’m living my life to the best of my ability, to God’s glory.”
And certainly that perspective shapes the way she serves.
Lisa’s Impact at Homework Club
When Lisa walks into Homework Club, the atmosphere changes. Students sit up a little straighter. They speak to one another a little kinder. There is warmth and laughter, but also expectation. Lisa holds students to a high standard because she genuinely believes in what they are capable of becoming — and the students know it.
They respect her because they know she loves them.
“This generation wants someone to believe in them,” Lisa said. “I tell them they are student leaders, and they need to act like it. I’m always telling them they can do it.”
Over the past year, Homework Club has increasingly focused not simply on school support, but on this semesters theme: discipleship — helping students understand their God-given dignity, learn responsibility, and become people who are set free to serve others.
Lisa embodies that vision. She teaches students not only through words, but through her presence: showing up faithfully, investing consistently, and refusing to lower the bar for the young people of Chester.
“I love teaching them things I’ve learned about using my resources wisely, making the best use of my time, and making smart decisions,” she said. “They heard that you are what you make of your own life. And that it’s okay to do things differently.”
Those conversations have become some of the most formative moments of Homework Club — honest, practical, and deeply personal. Lisa’s testimony reminds students that hardship does not determine destiny, and that faithfulness matters.
She also sees Homework Club as part of something larger. “I’m always sharing about Greenhouse’s food outreach, community barbecues, and Homework Club with everyone I meet in Chester,” she said.
Lisa exemplifies one of Greenhouse’s core pillars: devoted to faithful stewardship of our time, talent, treasure, and trouble in community. We believe in making long-term commitments to local communities and people — and Lisa lives that out every single week.
She is not serving from a distance. She is investing herself deeply into the life of Chester and into the lives of its young people.
When she first started volunteering, she admited she wasn’t sure what to expect. “I thought you guys were going to stick me in a corner,” she laughed. “I was so glad to be proven wrong. If there’s something you (yes, YOU!) can do to help this program and step out in faith to do it, it will be the best move you ever make. You can add value to this program and serve.”
What’s Next w/ Homework Club Kids
As Homework Club wraps up for the summer, we’re grateful for volunteers like Lisa who help shape something far bigger than a weekly after-school program. Through consistency, encouragement, discipleship, and love, she is cultivating a community where students are challenged, known, and believed in — and where they are learning what it means to serve others in turn.
Stay tuned for summer updates, special events, and ways to stay connected with the kids in the months ahead:
Community BBQs have become a favorite with youth! Save the Date for our 1st BBQ on June 11
Inspire Sports Camp in late June sends 15+ Homework Club kids to a Christ-centered camp designed for city kids like them
Youth Basketball Camp is a 1-day experience in July with skills, drills and community fun