MOST OF US DONATE a little to charity or we volunteer our time somewhere. We feel proud of ourselves knowing that we are helping to make the world a tiny bit better. But every now and then we come across someone who redefines our sense of humanity and makes our contributions seem small. I met someone like this last fall. Her name is Sherry Cash.

It is Sherry's volunteer mission to help the humans that many of us shun -- the homeless, drug- and alcohol-addicted souls who are an uneasy fixture in our Downtown. Since 2003 she's shuttled them to doctor's appointments and homeless shelters. She buys them clothes, helps them sign up for medical and social services, drives them to detox centers and, most of all, she's been a friend when there was nobody else.

Getting these folks off the streets and to a place where they can help themselves is her goal. "That's so exciting for me -- when people start taking care of themselves," she said.

I recently spent a sunny Tuesday morning with Sherry. Her mission that day was to get medicine for a homeless woman who spends most of her days in Plaza Park. The woman can often be found crouching on the sidewalk, a position, Sherry explained, which is comfortable for her because she had been beaten and her hips did not heal properly. "Everyone's given up on her and that's exactly why I don't," Sherry told me.

Ghosts from the past haunt Sherry a bit -- a childhood spent with alcoholic family members, nights spent sleeping in a car and, most poignantly, a brother who died a year and a half ago after a life of alcoholism and homelessness.

BUT SHERRY REMAINS unfailingly upbeat and has had great successes. She tells the story of one man who was in the last stages of alcoholism and living in the park. "His stomach was distended, he'd lost control of his bowels. ... Now he's home with his brother, six months sober."

She's proud of the recent strides Ventura has made to help end homelessness and has volunteered for every effort. There is the Ventura Social Services Task Force, of which she's on the steering committee; new is the Sober Network, an effort to get alcoholics and drug addicts the help they need. The city has also joined forces with the county in the 10-Year Strategy to End Homelessness.

"We've advanced so far that now people are talking about us," she said.

Sherry is especially proud of the new One Stop Center adjacent to the Ventura County Medical Center and gave me a tour. "I could just cry. Isn't this heaven?" she exclaimed while looking around the room at the various stations set up to help people find medical, alcohol and drug, housing, and social services.

Kate Mills, the program administrator for the county's Health Care for Homeless program, said most visitors to the center, open every Tuesday from 10 a.m.- 1 p.m., are looking for housing. "Medical is low on the list. They're trying to get to a safe environment."

Mills praised Sherry's efforts. "I think she knows everybody. People who have problems turn to her." But she and others worry a bit about their friend. "She stretches herself really thin. If she's not here (at the One Stop Center), she's in the park."

Sherry's volunteer workload has been lightened since the city recently hired Ken Belden to do outreach to the homeless population Downtown. She dreams of opening a detox center like Santa Barbara's for chronic alcoholics. But as long as there are people in need, Sherry will be there.

"Mother Theresa said 'Walk out your back door,' " she explained.

Somewhere Mother Theresa is smiling at Sherry Cash.

For further information about the Ventura Social Services Task Force, call (805) 212-4856. You can donate to the Ventura Homeless Prevention Fund via the United Way. Make a check payable to UWVC/VHPF and mail to: United Way of Ventura County, 1317 Del Norte, Suite 100, Camarillo, CA 93010.