Restoring Hope…Restoring Lives…Together!

Volunteers play a critical role at UGM. I don’t know what we would do if we did not have our dozens of volunteers each and every week. At any given time one can walk through the various UGM ministries and find volunteers doing everything from serving meals, cutting hair, to teaching classes and helping customers. Volunteers are everywhere. Helping. Serving. Giving. Caring.

Volunteers lighten our workload and often accomplish those things that otherwise might not be done at all. Each is important and necessary to the whole. Volunteers are the important part of our team that comes together to do the work of Rescue.

UGM volunteers are not only a blessing to the staff, but their very presence makes an impact on our guests by showing them they are valued and cared for. Volunteers encourage and interact with the men, women and children in a way that only a volunteer can – they truly make a difference!

Volunteering not only helps change the life of an individual in difficult circumstances, but it can also be a rewarding, encouraging and transforming experience for the volunteer. Holly Hamlin attests to this in a recent Statesman Journal article, which includes a family’s reflection on their volunteer service at UGM.

Last month UGM was blessed to have the middle school ministry of Suburban Christian Church as volunteers. They made a wonderful impact on our ministries, and the Lord made an impact on their hearts. Read their blog describing their volunteer experience at UGM.

Other volunteers have shared their experience with us:

“I have come to call UGM ‘My Mission,’ because I love being here. I hope to volunteer here for many years to come.”

“Being able to volunteer and help out at Simonka Place has added so much to my life. It gives me a feeling of helping people and helping their lives become a little better.”

“I don’t know if anyone will ever fully understand the impact you all had on us (when we brought our youth group to UGM for an extended work project)”

“I look forward every month to serving dinner at the Mission. I’ve grown fond of the men and enjoy being with them.”

Have you volunteered with UGM of Salem before? If so, share your experience in the comments section below!

Posted by Cheryl Dixon, Donor Relations Manager, cdixon@ugmsalem.org

Tags: featured

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 26th, 2010 at 7:20 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.