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Corps provides extensive community outreach with only volunteers.
By Stephanie Lueras, Lt.
The Salvation Army utilizes volunteers every day, but without the volunteers in Alamogordo, N.M., there would be no Salvation Army.
Volunteers at the corps community center here include individuals from all walks of life; they are not just volunteers—they are family. Some are here as the result of social service assistance, ministry programs, or from the desire to give back to the community. Regardless of the reason, each person is part of our ministry.
“Volunteering here is my respite,” said one volunteer. “I’m retired and get to choose how I spend my time, and I want to be here.”
Since we have no paid staff, the volunteers do everything. They receive people, pack food boxes, pick up food and thrift store donation, screen clients for social services, provide emergency disaster services, and help with maintenance and janitorial duties. Without their help, the corps could not provide for up to 600 social services cases a month.
“The Salvation Army is my second family,” said another volunteer. “Being here gives me something to do with my time and a good environment to remain sober.”
We emphasize that ministry is a team sport. The mission of The Salvation Army to “preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name without discrimination” is not limited to officers and soldiers alone, but is a challenge for everyone.
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