People Supported by Mosaic Serve as Community Volunteers

Often people think of Mosaic as a place TO volunteer, and during National Volunteer Appreciation Week, we thank the many people across our 13-state network who give of their time and talent to help serve those we support.

But, Mosaic is also a great place to FIND volunteers! In many locations, the people Mosaic supports enjoy participating in their communities as volunteers. Here are a few of their stories.

In Lincoln, Nebraska, volunteers including Keith, Jacy and Ron have given time at the Help Center: A Ministry of the People’s City Mission for about three years now. They volunteer as often as three times a week, and the three gave different reasons for why they like to volunteer. Keith says it’s fun. Jacy says she enjoys being around others. And Ron says, simply, “I like to help people.”

They receive high praise from Art Wilson, an employee at the center, who said volunteers from Mosaic have given “thousands of cumulative hours” and “work tirelessly, doing tasks that many volunteers would find tedious.” Jobs include sorting food items and DVDs.

Being a part of the community helps drive people served by Mosaic in Rockford, Illinois, to volunteer. Several people, including Yule and Yazid, volunteer every year at the annual Kiwanis Brat Days fundraiser. Tammy English, Mosaic Community Relations Manager, said the annual event is something people really look forward to participating in. 

At another Rockford community outreach organization, Miss Carly’s Lunch Bag Project, Mosaic volunteers have decorated more than 3,000 bags for lunches to be distributed in. That takes time and patience–and imagination–for people like Andrew and Steve!

While in Lincoln, volunteers help sort food items, in Omaha, Nebraska; Terre Haute, Indiana; and Central Iowa, Mosaic volunteers help gather, prepare and deliver food. 

In Omaha, Tiffany and Devin help prepare food at Table Grace, a nonprofit restaurant that serves everyone who walks in the door, regardless of their ability to pay. Tiffany and Devin can be found working in the kitchen, culling fresh, locally sourced spices or peeling and preparing potatoes. Tiffany also volunteers with another person, Sara, to help prepare a local garden for the summer growing season.

Delivering meals door-to-door brings meaning to Galileo, who volunteers for Meals on Wheels through Mosaic in Terre Haute, Indiana. Community Relations Manager Brenda Tryon said, “Galileo loves delivering the meals to individuals’ homes and gives everyone he delivers a meal to the biggest smile.”

Another Terre Haute volunteer, Charles, partnered with an organization to give school supplies to students to help make sure they had the supplies they needed to start the school year off right. “Charles said helping the students reminded him of his school days,” Brenda said. 

Mark, served by Mosaic in Central Iowa, goes with his host home provider, Daryl, to gather donated food items from red barrels placed in local grocery stores. They deliver them to the local religion council, which sorts and distributes them to organizations that provide direct food assistance to folks. The two also participate in the KFC Harvest Program where they pick up leftover frozen unprepared chicken and deliver it to the local food bank or the Des Moines Free Store for people who need food assistance. 

Daryl noted that Mark, in the past, has said he is grateful he does not have to wonder about where his next meal will come from and knows he is helping people in need. “I like helping others,” Mark said.