Even over the phone, Jean Miller’s optimism comes through. Her outlook on life — “There’s too much negativity in the world” — blends perfectly with her volunteer efforts at the McCambridge Center for Women. For 30 years, the McCambridge Center has served as a not-for-profit substance abuse treatment center and residence for women and their children.

Jean Miller

Jean’s involvement began three years ago because of an experience in her own family of what it was like for someone suffering from addiction. After a friend told her about McCambridge Center, she called Program Director Beth Berhorst to see if there was a way she could help. Employed at the University of Missouri’s College of Agricultural Food and Natural Resources, Jean and the CAFNR staff got permission from the dean to try a winter project collecting warm socks, which evolved into a Christmas project asking people to donate hats, gloves, socks and gently worn coats for the center. With her encouragement, co-workers adopted the agency.

“They showed up at McCambridge Center with toys for the children, clothing, hats, gloves, socks and scarves for the ladies,” Berhorst said. “And they donated money to assist with the holiday meal so the clients could have a good, home-cooked dinner.”

That was the beginning of Jean’s relationship with McCambridge Center, and since then, she has organized more holiday donations, becoming more involved with the agency, taking personal time on weekends to share her talents with the ladies. “She has spent hours teaching them to do stamping and make journals,” Berhorst said. “She also organized clothing donations and had a friend of hers come in, and they did a ‘dress for success’ class with them. At the end of the class, the ladies all got to pick an outfit to keep and then did a fashion show. They talked about it for weeks, and their self-esteem soared.”

Jean’s services didn’t end there, though. She gave up her time at work to help at the center’s annual golf tournament, greeting golfers, helping set up, handing out treats and emanating a positive attitude. One of Jean’s talents is making purses, and she donated many of them for a silent auction and later donated more for the ladies.

Originally from Shelbina, Jean, 53, came to Columbia about 20 years ago to start a new life and a new job. She presently works as a payroll representative for the Division of Plant Sciences at MU. Her immediate family consists of husband Billy and sons Jeff, 29, and Kyle, 25. Mother Marguerite Bowen and sister Kay Roberts both live in Macon, and brother Keith Fugate is in Independence.

Besides making purses, Jean’s hobbies are sewing, making polymer jewelry and creating greeting cards. She also teaches sewing classes at Satin Stitches. She used to do a lot of shows and festivals but doesn’t “have the time for that anymore since I spend more time with my family and do mostly custom purse work now.”

Jean does not interact with the children who stay at McCambridge Center but “really enjoys the ladies. The women there are very caring and have huge hearts. Unless they’ve ‘been there,’ people don’t realize the problems that people with addictions have.” Such caring makes Jean a cheering squad of one. Even when not directly doing something for the agency, she is telling people about it, spreading the word about the work they do and how they can help. When volunteers or contributors are asked how they heard about McCambridge Center, they often answer, “Jean Miller told us about you.”

McCambridge Center relies a lot on volunteers and donations to meet clients’ needs. “Jean showed the women that people do care and will take their own personal time to try to make a difference,” Berhorst said. “She showed them they are worth spending time with and teaching them. She is an inspiration to them and gives them hope. She has made a lasting effect on this agency.”

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