Nicole Tessmer

Help Celebrate National Volunteer Week

“I think just helping people, and it’s pretty amazing how grateful most people are,” says TrueNorth volunteer, Randy Kinsey, about his favorite part of volunteering. “I’ve just been blessed my whole life, and I just like to try and give back to the community.”

Randy has been volunteering in TrueNorth’s Hunger Prevention Programs for over four years. From being the friendly face greeting Food Center participants to stocking the Food Center and packing Weekend PowerPacks, Randy is a passionate and reliable volunteer.

Randy first came to TrueNorth after retiring to Hesperia. He wanted to find a way to give back to the community–helping those in need get back on their feet. Volunteering has always been important to Randy as he volunteered at a variety of organizations before retirement, such as Habitat for Humanity and various soup kitchens.

Feeding the hungry has always been a passion for Randy, which is why he continues to volunteer with TrueNorth’s Hunger Prevention programs. Being able to meet this essential need for the community has been the most rewarding part for him. Randy says, “To see the smile on people’s faces and to see their gratitude and know that you’re doing something for people that really need the help…it [TrueNorth] is such a blessing for the community.”

Besides seeing the impact his volunteering and TrueNorth’s programs has on the community, Randy has grown as an individual throughout his time at TrueNorth. He enjoys making people feel welcome and reassures those who struggle to ask for help.

“It’s made me a better person by helping other people,” says Randy. He continues to make an impact as he encourages people at his church to volunteer at TrueNorth and has even helped lead a fundraising project there to purchase coats for TrueNorth’s Coats for Kids.

Randy has volunteered over 300 hours at TrueNorth and is looking forward to continuing. He is grateful for the opportunity to make a positive difference in people’s lives and encourages anyone who is interested to do so as well.

Next week is National Volunteer Week–showcasing the vital work of volunteers and how everyone can make a difference in their community, just like Randy. “I just highly encourage it [volunteering]. It’s just, to me, it’s a life-changing experience to be able to give back and help other people,” says Randy.

You can help celebrate National Volunteer Week in a number of ways. From thanking a volunteer to volunteering yourself, you can make a positive difference in someone else’s life. To learn more about volunteer opportunities at TrueNorth, contact Volunteer Hub Coordinator, Charlie Forbes, at cforbes@truenorthservices.org.