‘National Salvation Army Week’ story series, Part 2: Volunteers
National Salvation Army Week is May 11–17. To celebrate, The Salvation Army Northern Division is publishing stories about some of our most important services to illustrate how your donations and volunteer work are Doing the Most Good for people and families in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of The Salvation Army Northern Division. They help us distribute food, provide housing, comfort disaster survivors, and offer other critical services for nearly 385,000 people in Minnesota and North Dakota.
Every year, around 22,000 volunteers give their time to help further our mission. Think about that number – 22,000. That’s more than enough people to fill every seat at Target Center for a Minnesota Timberwolves game. (Sign up to volunteer.)
Volunteers are the reason why The Salvation Army is one of the most efficient charities around, with 80 cents of every dollar donated used to provide direct services for people in need.
In the Twin Cities alone, volunteers annually provide nearly 92,000 hours of service worth more than $3.3 million in free labor.
“These savings amount to more hot meals, more shelter nights, and more critical services for more people in need,” said Sophie Crowell, Director of Volunteer Services for The Salvation Army Northern Division, noting that the estimated value of U.S. volunteers is about $36.14 per hour.
Volunteers also help us save something even more important than money: souls. By giving of themselves without expecting anything in return, our volunteers demonstrate the love of Jesus Christ.
“We’ve found a place where we feel like we’re doing the Lord’s work,” affirmed food shelf volunteer Dale Swanson from The Salvation Army in Brooklyn Park, Minn. “We see people here being helped both physically and spiritually.” (Watch a video about Dale and other local volunteers.)
Another committed volunteer is Marie Putnam (pictured). She has been serving for about 20 years, contributing thousands of hours to many endeavors such as food shelf, disaster services, and campaigns like the Red Kettles, food drives, and toy drives.
“The thanks that people give you for being there for them is incredible,” said Marie, a former Salvation Army Volunteer of the Year. “The Salvation Army’s presence makes a world of difference to them. I get back much more than I give when I volunteer.”
This year’s Volunteers of the Year for The Salvation Army Northern Division include:
- Exemplary Volunteers of the Year: Joanna Sindt (Minneapolis, MN) and Jim Papacek (Bismarck, ND)
- Lifetime Volunteers of the Year: Janice Danzl (Minneapolis, MN) and Bill Lakin (Brainerd, MN)
- Group Volunteers of the Year: Chase Family (Brooklyn Park, MN) and Pearson Family (Grand Forks, ND)
- Legacy Volunteers of the Year: Judy Secord (Brooklyn Park, MN) and Ray Mortensen (St. Cloud, MN)
You can help celebrate National Salvation Army Week by signing up to volunteer today. Businesses, churches, and other organizations are also encouraged to get involved, as we can accommodate groups of most sizes.
“Any amount of time you can give will be a blessing to people and families in your community,” said Lt. Col. E. Randall Polsley, Commander of The Salvation Army Northern Division. “We are grateful to all of our volunteers for the selfless work they do to better the lives of others.”
Help us Celebrate National Salvation Army Week by giving a donation or signing up to volunteer.