The 69th annual National Salvation Army Week got underway Monday as a way to celebrate volunteers and supporters.
Last year nearly 19,000 volunteers helped the Salvation Army provide food, shelter, youth services, disaster relief and more to 300,000 people across Minnesota and North Dakota.
One of those volunteers is Meg Zauner who volunteers three times a week at the Salvation Army's location on West 7th in St. Paul.
Prior to 2020, Zauner had volunteered occasionally. When her job was eliminated in 2020, Zauner decided to do more with her time.
"I wanted to do something meaningful, I didn't want to sit around all day," Zauner said. "I knew there was a need for food shelves."
While most volunteer shifts last just a couple of hours, Zauner says she typically spends several hours volunteering on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
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The day typically begins at 11:30 a.m. and lasts well into the afternoon as Zauner helps put away food deliveries and assisting wherever she can.
"That's one of the things about the food shelves is if we get a delivery at 1:30, I don't want to leave if there's still food to be put away. If the volunteers are gone, then the staff has to stop what they're doing to put the food away. It's great how the Salvation Army makes it work for the volunteers."
One thing Zauner say is great about volunteering with the Salvation Army is the number of opportunities that exist. Individuals are able to try a number of different things to find what's right for them and their schedules.
"If you try one opportunity and discover it's not what you're looking for, they're looking for different things," added Zauner. "There's people that shop, there's people that direct traffic, and there's people who answer phones. If someone is interested, just try it. They're only two or four hour blocks of time. It's a great way to find out how you can give up your time."
National Salvation Army Week started in 1954 through a United States Congress declaration and proclamation by President Dwight Eisenhower.
“This is the week we honor the heart and soul of The Salvation Army – our volunteers and donors,” said Lt. Col. Dan Jennings, Salvation Army Northern Division commander.
National Salvation Army Week runs through Sunday, May 21.