It’sNational Volunteer Week and what better time show off some of our incredible volunteers!  Meet Suzanne, who began her Gifts of Love adventure last November, an we’ll let her take it from here:

“I had been looking to volunteer in the community, so I emailed Nancy (Carlson) and she had me come in to help and check it out.  I’ve been addicted ever since.

I mainly help with the clients. I usually come in the morning on Tuesdays, and there will be clients here who may need clothes, items for their home, or food. So I help them shop and find things that they need. Sometimes they’ll say, ‘I have children and they need pants,’ and I’ll try to help them search for things their kids might like or things that might fit them. And then the food shopping, which is fun. They’re always so grateful, which I kind of feel bad about, but I have to feel grateful for, because they need food. I love the clients, and I love the other volunteers here. It’s been a great experience.

I have helped out with the backpack program for kids, where we filled backpacks with food for the weekend. I’ve also helped with going through the clothes—really trying to have clothes that are seasonal, in good condition, that you would wear yourself, that you’re not handing off really poor-quality clothes to people who need them.

The thing that strikes me the most is that I see myself in every single client. That could be me. Something could happen and I would be in need of food or clothes. I just relate to all of them. They’re just working people who are going through a rough time for whatever reason. I think when you think of people who need food and clothes, you have another picture of what that looks like, but they’re just people in your community who need a hand temporarily. They’re just the people you pass every day. You never know, it can happen very quickly. Some people are a couple of paychecks away from losing everything. They’re just regular people. They’re your neighbors.

The best part is working with the clients. It really is everything. Now that I’ve been here long enough, I know people. When someone comes in, I might remember they’re gluten-free, or I’ll notice a product on the shelf that I know they’ll want.  With the shopping, if someone has two girls, I might think, ‘She’ll probably love the way this looks—this is perfect for your 17-year-old daughter.’ You’re really shopping with people. You’re trying to help them because you want their kids to feel good when they come home with clothes that are secondhand. Once you know them and you know what their kids like, you can go through a rack and say, ‘I know they’re going to love this.’ I like that part now—getting to know the clients better.”

Want to join Suzanne and volunteer with us?  Click here!