Today’s heroes: Holiday volunteers

By Angela Allen
VP of Church Partnerships, City Gospel Mission

During this national Volunteer Appreciation Week, we give our sincere thanks for each of you – over 2,500 strong – who give your time and effort to build into the lives of so many people who need uplifted. You are the bedrock of our organization, and the catalysts for the life-change and spiritual growth that happens every day at City Gospel Mission. You are God’s hands and heart in action.

Today’s heroes: Holiday Volunteers

Every holiday season, hundreds of low-income families are served by the Thanksgiving Exchange and the Christmas Store.

Because of COVID, we weren’t even certain that these programs would be able to take place in 2020. But they did take place,  even though almost everything about the Thanksgiving Exchange and Christmas Store was turned upside down. But two amazing constants were the caring hearts and undaunted enthusiasm of the volunteers.

We are so very grateful to Westwood Presbyterian Church for allowing the programs to take place there, especially during this time,  and for their amazing volunteers who coordinated the parking and the “drive up” system for families who came to pick up their pre-ordered Thanksgiving groceries.

We were blown away by the number of volunteers who still signed up to help this year. They served the shoppers with kindness and concern for their welfare. They submitted to temperature checks, maintained social distance, wore their masks, and used hand sanitizer so much their hands probably cracked – all for the love of their neighbors. And because of them, 421 people were able to get their Thanksgiving groceries, and 152 moms and dads purchased Christmas gifts for over 500 children.

To everyone who volunteered: thank you for walking side-by-side with us to make the Thanksgiving Exchange and Christmas Store happen.

So from Teri, Diane, Phillita, Glenda, Bob, Ms. E, Helen, and me, thank you! We love and appreciate you all!

To learn about the many ways you can volunteer at City Gospel Mission, click here.