Angela McMasters learned at a young age to comfort others.

“I think helping people always came naturally to me,” she said.

McMasters watched her grandparents, Tom and Kay Caldwell of the Parker area, spend their free time volunteering.

When she was 8, her grandmother began taking her on church mission trips. The first one was to a Sioux Indian reservation in Wanblee, S.D.

“Looking back, I didn't really do anything but play with the other children, but I vividly remember wanting to help like grandma,” McMasters said.

During a mission trip to Tijuana in the late 1990s, she helped build a home.

McMasters said her grandparents, who are now in their 70s, still volunteer for the American Red Cross and are first responders for the Emlenton Ambulance service.

“They are really a great example of selflessness and service,” she said.

McMasters, 35, followed their example by devoting her life to helping others.

“It's always been a part of who I am,” she said.

For the last four years, McMasters spends her days as an information and referral specialist for the Center for Community Resources. Her job entails assessing people's human services needs and directing them to the appropriate agencies.

“It's always new,” she said. “Some jobs bring monotony. You know what the next day brings.”

People come to CCR to address behavioral, drug and alcohol, and mental health needs. McMasters often ends up helping people with such issues tackle everyday hassles.

“I've delivered food to a guy living in a semiheated basement,” she said.

The frustrating part of the job is when McMasters can't help someone any further.

She said there are times when CCR has exhausted all available resources for certain needs.

McMasters said some people receiving assistance to pay their rent have limited funding sources and face foreclosure.

Agencies such as Catholic Charities only pay one month's rent for a family each year, so funding is restricted.

“There's only so many agencies,” McMasters said.

She said the concept behind such financial assistance is temporarily helping people until they get on their feet.

“We never want to enable people,” McMasters said. “We want to empower them.”

She said the exceptions are those who are incapable of working.

McMasters' department in 2010 conducted a coat drive for the needy. Along with clothes, more than $700 was donated.

The drive, which was spearheaded by a co-worker and an intern, resulted in 278 people receiving coats, hats and gloves.

“We do a lot as a team,” McMasters said.

After five days working with CCR consumers, McMasters isn't done helping people.

On the weekend she is a dog trainer with the PETCO store in Butler Township. “I'm very passionate about animals,” McMasters said.

She considered her second job as another way to help people as she teaches dog owners how to deal with their pets' behavior.

“I'm really training people,” McMasters said.

A former Humane Society volunteer, she took online classes from Animal Behavior College in California and received hands-on training in Tarentum.

Despite having two jobs, McMasters plans to devote time for volunteerism.

She also plans to start her own dog training business someday.

For her human services work, she received a bachelor's degree in behavioral sciences from Mid-America Christian University.

McMasters, who is a 1993 graduate of Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School, lives in Chicora with her husband, Todd, and two dogs: Saba, a shepherd mix, and Maya, a Chiuaua-pit bull mix.

<B>Name:</B> Angela McMasters<B>Age: </B>35<B>Residence: </B>Chicora<B>Family: </B>Husband, Todd; two dogs<B>Education: </B>1993 graduate of Allegheny-Clarion Valley High School; Bachelor’s degree from Mid-America Christian University<B>Quote: “</B>We never want to enable people. We want to empower them.”