The following was originally posted on The Salvation Army Northern Division’s blog.
In The Salvation Army, we have so much to be thankful for. From a supportive community that cares about its people to our dedicated team members, every person contributes to our promise of Doing the Most Good.
Yet when it’s all said and done, it’s volunteers who make the real difference. Whether you’re new to volunteering or have been with us a long time, we truly appreciate all that you do. Here are five reasons why your help matters:
1) We couldn’t do it without you. The Salvation Army has always said that we rely upon the help of our volunteers. This continues to be true every day. Volunteers like you give their precious time to help us achieve our mission of helping anyone in need without discrimination. In fact, without the help of our volunteers, our food shelves, hot meal services, stores and holiday programs, among others, would struggle to meet the needs of their visitors.
2) You save dollars. People may not know, but many volunteers give their time for office-type work, helping us to organize data on spreadsheets or prepare mailings. Each hour that you volunteer means more funds can go directly to helping people in need.
3) You have a great attitude. The wonderful thing about volunteers is that you actually want to do good. What’s more, volunteers bring their positive attitudes through the door at the start of a shift. Even when things get a little stressful – and believe us, they sometimes do – many volunteers continue to wear that smile with pride. Having a positive attitude is infectious and often spreads to the people you serve.
4) You share ideas with us. There are times when staff members are so busy supporting other programs that a need is completely missed. Often, you are able to identify a need or see a solution to a problem because you are working on the front lines and talking directly with the people and communities you serve.
5) You become part of our organization. There’s an old saying: “They may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” This couldn’t be a more truthful statement. Volunteers are the ones making an impact on the people they help, which make the community a better place to live and work. People will remember the enthusiastic volunteer who served a hot meal to a hungry person. That memory rubs off on the entire organization.
Ready to help us during our busiest time of the year? Sign up to volunteer at your local Salvation Army. For more information about becoming a volunteer for the Salvation Army of East Chicago, visit: http://salarmychicago.org/eastchicago/volunteer/
To receive regular updates about the programs supported by the Foundations of East Chicago, find us on Facebook (facebook.com/foundationsec) or follow us on Twitter (twitter.com/foundationsec).
