Finding Purpose, Community and Joy Through Volunteering
Like many people, Julie-Robinson-Brown associated The Salvation Army with the holiday season and had little idea of the work they do throughout the year. Her first experience was volunteering as a bell ringer, helping to raise money at Christmastime.
Nearly three decades later, she has become a year-round Salvation Army volunteer and President of the Women's Auxiliary in Central Indiana. She finds joy in helping families access essential resources, serving meals, dressing up as The Salvation Army mascot, and doing whatever needs to be done.
How She Got Started
In the early 2000s Julie was looking for new ways to directly interact with people who needed assistance. She signed up to help at a Salvation Army event in downtown Indianapolis at Monument Circle.
“I never had so much fun volunteering in my life!” Julie exclaimed. “I was cleaning tables and throwing away garbage…and enjoying it. I met the most wonderful people.”
She cited their friendliness and welcoming spirit as the reasons she was drawn to supporting The Salvation Army and its mission. Through informational tours of Salvation Army facilities, and involvement in several programs, Julie began to see the variety of services being offered in her community.
Need Is Everywhere
According to Julie, volunteering has changed the way she sees people in her community. She now realizes that financial hardship isn’t confined to a specific neighborhood or income bracket.
Through back-to-school drives, coat distributions and other outreach events, she has encountered families who need assistance in places where some might not expect to find hardship. At one backpack giveaway, Julie was struck by the number of families seeking help in a relatively affluent suburb of Johnson County.
This realization has been part of a broader personal transformation. She said volunteering has made her more compassionate and less judgmental, particularly as she has learned about the challenging circumstances so people face.
An Unforgettable Moment
One of Julie's most memorable volunteer experiences came while she was helping with donor registration for The Salvation Army Angel Tree at a local mall. A grandmother and her four grandchildren approached the table, and Julie explained they were seeking donors to provide gifts for more than 5,000 children.
The woman became emotional and shared that she benefitted from the program when she was a single mom. The Salvation Army provided Christmas gifts for her son, the father of the grandchildren who were shopping with her.
The family immediately adopted an angel. For Julie, that moment demonstrated how generosity can extend across generations.
“I was moved to see it come full circle,” she said, “I realized just how much The Salvation Army means to people.”
Strengthening Family and Faith
Julie’s volunteer journey also brought unexpected meaning to her personal life. In 2008, her father began volunteering alongside her. At one event, a retired Salvation Army officer thanked God for Julie in front of her father. Her father responded, “I thank God for her, too.’”
It was a simple exchange, but one that affirmed the value of the work she was doing and the bond they shared. When her father died, Julie was devastated. Yet she found comfort through the faith and relationships she developed as a volunteer. Her grief seemed more manageable than it was in the past, and she credits fellow volunteers and Salvation Army officers for helping to strengthen her spiritual foundation.
Volunteer When You Can
Getting involved with The Salvation Army is easy. It requires online registration, but once that’s completed, there are many volunteer opportunities to choose from. According to Julie, even people with limited availability can make a big difference in their community.
For those who feel nervous about showing up alone, Julie understands that uncertainty. Her advice to first-time volunteers is to be open to the experience, accept guidance and let people know if there are physical limitations that affect the tasks you can perform.
“Just be receptive to the experience. There will be people there to guide you. And they're friendly, you know, nobody's going to bite!” she laughed.
Julie is proof that volunteering doesn’t have to begin with a grand plan. Sometimes, it starts with ringing a bell, signing up for one event, or just showing up.
Volunteer opportunities are available for all ages and abilities. For more information, reach out to The Salvation Army location nearest you or visit: https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usa-central-territory/volunteer/