What’s volunteering at World Help really like?

Thinking about making a trip to World Help’s distribution center to volunteer?

We’d love to have you!

Giving your time can make just as big of a difference around the globe as giving your dollars. In fact, every hour you volunteer equals an average of 81 people in need who will receive help!

Each year, millions of dollars’ worth of medical equipment, clothing, hygiene kits, and more is donated to World Help. But these items have to be sorted, counted, and tested for quality control before they can be shipped to the people who are waiting for them.

And since our distribution center staff is made up of only four full-time staff members, that means we depend upon volunteers like you to make sure these lifesaving items make it to their final destination as soon as possible.

The hours you spend volunteering will help sick children receive the medical care they need, prepare emergency relief for victims of natural disasters, and so much more.

Plus, you’ll have fun doing it!

But don’t take our word for it.

Here are a few testimonies of real people like you who have volunteered at World Help and what they had to say about their experience:

Linda Wheeler, real estate agent

“It’s a very worthwhile project, and it’s very much needed. There’s a lot involved, and many hands make light work.”

Linda is proof that volunteering by yourself can be just as much fun as volunteering with a group. When Linda’s trip to Guatemala with World Help was postponed last year due to the pandemic, she decided to help out by volunteering at the distribution center instead.

She took a few days off from her job as a real estate agent and traveled to Lynchburg, making it a mini vacation and doing some sightseeing in the area the day before she was scheduled to volunteer.

When it came time to volunteer, Linda was grouped with two other women who were also volunteering, and the three of them helped fold and organize t-shirts by gender and size.

Here’s what Linda said after an afternoon of volunteering:

“The real estate business can be very stressful and constant, so this has been allowing my brain to rest, and I love organizing stuff. It’s also been great getting to know two ladies that I didn’t know before and making new friends. And while it’s a very needed task, it doesn’t take too much thought, so it’s been very freeing.”

Click here to read more about Linda’s volunteering experience.

Amy Gordon, ministry team leader

“It’s something close to home that has a global impact … I would do it again in a heartbeat.” 

Amy Gordon was all set to lead a missions trip with 28:19 Ministries to Belize in the summer of 2020. Then, the coronavirus happened. But like Linda, Amy still felt called to share God’s love in some way.

Since Lynchburg was only a couple hours away from their home near Richmond, Amy decided to use some of the team’s original trip budget to plan a completely different kind of missions experience right here in the United States.

“For everyone who was on the original trip, we offered an all-expense paid trip to Lynchburg to serve at World Help,” Amy said. “We rented an amazing Airbnb for three nights. … We provided all the meals, and then we gave a donation to World Help. It’s something close to home that has a global impact.”

By the end of their four-day trip, they had unboxed, sorted, and packaged almost 40 pallets worth of donated clothing to be shipped to Peru!

Click here to read more what Amy and the team from 28:19 Ministries accomplished while volunteering.

Caroline Jones, college student

“Even though I don’t see [the people] getting helped, I want to be there, and I want to be a part of it anyway that I can.”

There’s not much that will get a teenager out of bed before the sun comes up. But 18-year-old Caroline Jones felt so strongly about the importance of volunteering that she woke up at 4 a.m. to make the road trip to World Help’s distribution center with the rest of the youth from her church.

The team spent all day packing up clothes and other items to be shipped around the world. They even made it a competition, seeing who could pack the most boxes in a set amount of time.

By the end of the day, everyone was worn out, but Caroline said it was time well spent:

“I’m not a morning person, but when I walked through the door, I immediately felt energized. God’s got His hand on this, so I knew today was going to go well. It’s been fun … and knowing where it’s going to go and knowing whose heart you might be touching, it’s 100 percent worth it. No matter what time you had to get up in the morning, no matter how far away it is, it truly is an enjoyable experience.”

Click here to read more about Caroline’s trip to the World Help distribution center.

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If you’d like to volunteer like Linda, Amy, and Caroline, it’s easy to sign up. Simply go to worldhelp.net/volunteer and choose what day and time works best for you.

Don’t see a time that works or want to bring a big group? Give us a call at 800-541-6691 or email volunteers@worldhelp.net to inquire about evening and weekend opportunities.

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