“Vanguard is committed to serving our clients, our fellow crew members, and our communities. We aspire to be part of something bigger than ourselves and set an example of community involvement that inspires others to act. Simply put, we believe that doing the right thing is the right thing to do.”
This quote sums up Vanguard’s outlook on community stewardship. No matter where their “crew” is based, it is a priority to see and address the needs of their neighbors.
That commitment brings Vanguard teams to Crisis Assistance Ministry consistently to help out with a variety of tasks: inspecting and preparing donated items for daily shoppers, purchasing and distributing food and beverage for families awaiting assistance, and helping out with donation drives for essentials like coats, school uniforms, and household items.
Group coordinator Cynthia Jordan says she has a personal connection to the mission that keeps her coming back as a volunteer.
“As a child, I knew what it was like to stand in line to get food, to not have a winter coat that fits, to not know if the power would be on all the time,” she says. “So I learned early on the importance of giving back and helping each other out.”
Sorting through a bag of colorful women’s clothes, Cynthia talks about teaching her children, now ages 15-26, about volunteerism. Their lives are different than her childhood, she says, but that makes it more important to expose them to the needs that surround them in the community.
“You never know what people are going through all around you,” she says. “It could easily be your neighbor, your teacher, or the person next to you at the grocery store who is struggling. It’s so important to be aware and to help each other when you can.”
Volunteering gives her joy, she says. “It gives me hope to be able to reach out and share with someone who’s going through a hard time. It’s so powerful.”
Need a little hope this month? It’s easy to get involved as a volunteer with a group, as an individual, or even with your family.