Bell Ringing As a Family: "It Was a Blast!"
“It does my heart good to see the help that we provide.”
When Jodi Noland started attending church at the Warren Corps Community Center over 20 years ago, it was the beginning of a life of serving others for her and her husband. As their children grew up, they became active in the corps youth group and in the corps holiday assistance effort.
“It blossomed into me volunteering at the toy shop during Christmas,” says Jodi. “To see parents come in and sign up for holiday assistance, and then come pick gifts for their children that they would not have been able to afford – I love that. The pandemic put so many people in isolation, and I’m looking forward to building relationships with those we serve again.”
As her daughter has grown up, Jodi’s family has volunteered as bell ringers as well, to the point where her daughter’s cheer teams would ring and compete with each other to see who could fundraise the most. “It was a blast. All the kids loved it,” remembers Jodi. “Later on, we would bring her cheer team to volunteer at our youth shelter, too. It was a great experience for everyone.”
Now working as Case Manager at the Warren corps, Jodi can speak to the breadth and depth of programs and services The Salvation Army offers. “We have so many programs that need community support, both in volunteer hours and donations, to be run successfully. The amount of assistance that we give out on a daily basis – whether it’s clothing, coats for kids, utility assistance, rent assistance, or Christmas assistance – goes directly to the community. Any help that you can give is so valuable."
Want to help us make sure that Hope Marches On for hardworking families in your community? Donate today and sign up to be a volunteer bell ringer.