Youngstown man Daniel Wakefield driven to volunteer in hometown

Passion ignited in high school, continues at Dorothy Day House

Daniel Wakefield prepares a meal recently at the Dorothy Day House in Youngstown, where he is the co-coordinator. He got his first taste of volunteering when he was a classroom aide for religious education classes at St. Christine Church in Youngstown while in high school.

YOUNGSTOWN — Daniel Wakefield’s desire to be an educator was always something that came to mind when it came to serving others.

“From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to work and help children. And so for me that was always a goal through teaching,” Wakefield said. “So I knew, always growing up, if anyone said, ‘what do you want to do? What do you want to do in the future?’ My answer was always teaching and never changed from second grade all the way up through college, when I was studying teaching.”

Wake-field experienced his first volunteer efforts when he served as an aide in religious education classrooms in high school — something that aligned as an opportunity to help with children. He would end up doing so on a regular basis through St. Christine Church in Youngstown, where he attended grade school.

Wakefield said he experienced working with children in poverty and the challenges they faced when he did tutoring for the Ursuline Sisters HIV / AIDS Ministry’s children’s program.

“Having that experience really transformed me. And after the 15 hours were up, I asked to stay on as a volunteer, and I volunteered the remainder of the semester,” Wakefield said. “And then I was asked to stay on and they hired me part-time to work in the tutoring program to assist the kids.”

Wakefield explained that this experience opened his eyes and motivated him to help out wherever he can in Youngstown, looking after those struggling financially or with homelessness — and Wakefield does just that.

Wakefield serves as the co-coordinator of the Dorothy Day House of Hospitality on the city’s North Side, alongside Valerie Goncalves. The organization was established in 2009 and provides guests with meals on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays and showers from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesdays.

He also serves as the Mahoning County Children Services board chairperson and is on the Mahoning County Homeless Continuum of Care’s executive board through his position with Dorothy Day House.

A Youngstown State University graduate, Wakefield attended the University of Nevada for several years for his master’s degree.

Wakefield taught at Kathleen and Tim Harney Middle School during his time in Nevada, noting the experience reminded him of home and the children back in Youngstown, transforming his approach to his goals.

“I always say that it allowed me, as a teacher, to have so much more empathy. When I was working with students that were in poverty, it really did remind me so very much of some of the children I had been working with here in Youngstown, and what could be done and what I could do as a teacher to try to better support students and know that they’re cared for,” Wakefield said.

Wakefield recalled it was difficult to be away from Youngstown. He tried coming home on school breaks, but admitted it wasn’t as practical because he missed a lot.

It was the desire to be with family and part of the community again that drove Wakefield back to his roots.

Wakefield teaches at Youngstown State University, Eastern Gateway Community College and does adjunct work for Ohio Connections Academy, on top of his volunteer responsibilities.

While it amounts to a busy schedule and lifestyle, Wakefield said it all helps him develop as a person.

“What continues to drive me and continues to make me able to kind of maintain the schedule I maintain is I enjoy doing what I’m doing and I recognize the fact that as much as I hope that I’m giving back to people, I can say with certainty that I am receiving so much more from all of those individuals that I’m encountering working with and my life has been made infinitely more colorful, more blessed because of it,” Wakefield said.

Wakefield lives in Youngstown. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with family, walking Mill Creek Park’s trails and reading. He said he also looks forward to a yearly vacation and visits friends when he can.

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