A Day in the Life of a Resource Volunteer
Meet Amy and Theresa, Resource Volunteers at New Mercies Ministries who serve in our resource closet. The resource closet is a room in our shared office space at St. Joe Community Church for donated items used in each hosting, like car seats, pajamas, wipes, diapers, pack-n-plays and more. These two friends bring warmth, joy, and a whole lot of organization to the resource closet as donations come in. They both enjoy this behind-the-scenes role that still supports families in tangible, meaningful ways.
I (Hayli) dropped in while Amy and Theresa were sorting some donations and cleaning some returned items after hostings recently. I asked them a few questions about their story and what serving with New Mercies looks like for them...
Getting Started
Amy heard about New Mercies after retiring a few years ago. She was ready to give her time to something that mattered, and when a friend mentioned there was a need for help organizing the resource closet at New Mercies, it clicked. Around the same time, Theresa was looking for a way to serve as well. After attending one of New Mercies' volunteer trainings, she wanted to support the ministry in a way that fit her season. She already knew Amy from her church, so this role was a great fit! Since then, the two have teamed up many times to serve in the resource closet.
What a Week Looks Like
No two weeks look the same in the resource closet. Sometimes, they'll get a call about a donation drop-off, backpacks, baby clothes, hygiene kits. If they are available that week, Amy or Theresa will pop in to sort and inventory the items. Other weeks, there might be a need to prep backpacks and other supplies for an upcoming hosting. And every now and then, they help with inventory, where volunteers count every item in the closet to help the team know what to share as current needs.
Requests for support come through a group chat, and volunteers have 24 hours to say yes or no. Whether it’s crocheted stuffed animals, new pillowcases for each backpack, or gift cards for formula, Amy and Theresa help make sure it’s all sorted and ready to go for the next hosting.
They both appreciate the flexibility the role offers, like being able to jump in when time allows and knowing their efforts directly bless the families being served. They have their process down to a science: what took 45 minutes at first to pull for a hosting now takes just 10.
Thinking About Becoming a Resource Volunteer?
Theresa says that you don’t have to be perfect or get everything right to volunteer in this role. “You can’t really mess up,” she told me. Katharine, our Director of Operations, is there to support them, and you can always ask for help.
And if you’re looking for a background role that actually matters, they’ll tell you this is it: “I can do this behind the scenes, and it means something,” Amy told me.
We are so grateful for Resource Volunteers like Theresa and Amy, who allow us to respond quickly to each parent reaching out for support. We couldn’t serve families in their darkest moments without them!
Hayli Kieser is the Communications and Grants Specialist for New Mercies Ministries.