Spreading Hope Across Indiana
Though her office is in Indianapolis, Danielle Lange has her finger on the pulse of Salvation Army Service Extension Units across the state. Danielle works at the Indiana Divisional Headquarters and spends her days thinking through projects and challenges from all around Indiana. From up in Dekalb County all the way down to Spencer County, she supports the volunteers that make up The Salvation Army’s Service Extension Units.
Danielle manages the budgets throughout the state, a task that has given her great insight into the inner workings of The Salvation Army. “As a donor, it might be easy to be a bit skeptical when you are donating to a non-profit organization,” she explains. “You wonder, How much of this is going to help people? When I started working at The Salvation Army, I didn’t know the scope of the work being done for the community. I was surprised by the amount of money that is going directly to helping people all across the state. It really is a lot. It was amazing to see that we help people with needs as small as a $10 medical bill to as large as helping someone pay their rent or mortgage.”
Working with Service Extension Representative in counties across the state has given Danielle a new appreciation for the volunteers that are dedicated to The Salvation Army’s ministry. “I love how hard our volunteers work to make Service Extension possible,” she shares. “When I first started, I honestly thought a few of the volunteers were paid employees because they are so involved and do so much.”
While Danielle doesn’t usually work directly with people in need, volunteers share their stories.
“There is a lot of need out there, whether it’s a single mother who needs help feeding her children or someone who can no longer afford their rent,” she says. “The knowledge of how great the need is can weigh on you, but it is really nice to see that people are being taken care of through The Salvation Army.”