Volunteer Spotlight: Karen Wilson, Women's Auxiliary
As a former educator, Karen Wilson values outcomes, which is one of the many reasons she is so impressed with the work of The Salvation Army in the Omaha community.
“The Salvation Army helps people up and out of the situation they are in, so they are able to function on their own,” she said. “The focus is on outcomes, rather than output. Output is the number of people served. Outcomes are the changes you make in people’s lives.”
Wilson has volunteered with The Salvation Army for the past five years, and she is currently president of The Salvation Army’s Women’s Auxiliary in Omaha. She has also served as chair of the Auxiliary’s annual Tastes & Treasures event, which raises funds to support and enhance corps programs, including housing, food, youth development, older adult services and others.
But she also emphasizes that there are plenty of volunteer opportunities for people who don’t have a lot of time to offer. “Go out and ring bells, or give a toy during the Toyland drive,” Wilson suggested. “You don’t have to do a lot of planning. You can do a ‘one and done,’ and yet you are still helping families within the community.”