Stephan Shawn Kepley

ENGL 3134 R52-S15C

Dr. Michael Briggs
April 13, 2015

The Volunteer State Nonprofit Opportunities Blog Post

From:
Intro to Nonprofit OrganizationsPADM 4226-R51-F14C
Assignment 5: Volunteer Opportunity Blog

Foreword
This was a blog assignment from a previous class in which we (students) had to create a public
blog announcing volunteer efforts that we have made in the past, or were interested in, as sort of
promotion. I had been a volunteer of the Salvation Army and other ministries in the past in Texas
and Mississippi. Thus, the Salvation Army was the theme of this assignment. Originally, it did
not require graphics, so this is a perfect opportunity to enhance the blog.

Inside this blog:

Immediate Volunteer Opportunities in Tennessee.

Perspective and Experience.
Tennessee as The Volunteer State.
More Salvation Army Volunteer Opportunities.

Immediate Volunteer Opportunities in Tennessee:

Organization: The Salvation Army-Nashville Command Area

Mission: The Salvation Army, an international movement, is an evangelical part
of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the Bible. Its ministry
is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the Gospel of Jesus
Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination.

1.

Bell-Ringer Opportunity

Date: Sat Nov 01, 2014 - Wed Dec 24, 2014

Job: Bell Ringing
Description: Volunteers are needed to ring the famous Salvation Army bell from
November 11th through December 24th. The bell sounds the alarm that someone
next door, in a family, or a stranger is crying out for help, is in need and is hungry.

Ringing the bell is a simple but impactful way of helping by collecting donations

2.

through the giving of your time and excitement.

Contact: Misty Ratcliff
Address: 631 Dickerson Road Nashville, TN 37207
Email: misty_ratcliff@uss.salvationarmy.org
Phone: (615) 242-0411
Fax: (615) 242-0016
Orientation: Call for details
Requirements: None

Soup Wagon Opportunity

Date: Anytime
Job: Soup Wagon
Description: Every Friday night we go out to the streets of Nashville, under the
Jefferson Street Bridge and 2nd Street and help feed the homeless community.
Feeding runs from 6-7:30pm. All volunteers meet up at Area Command of the
Salvation Army at 631 Dickerson Pike at 5:30pm. From there we all caravan over
where we setup all the needed items to be distributed. Each week a different group
adopts the preparation of the main meal. They will serve from inside the canteen.
All others will be out in front passing out drinks, snacks, and picking up trash.
Important: All volunteers must understand that although the desire is to have a
specific job, it is the heart of the Salvation Army that we meet and know the
community that we are serving. We want you to know their names, backgrounds
and stories, and if so, then give them a meal. The relationship is the key. This is a
great opportunity to not only offer food but also good conversation, let folks know

there are others who care! It is to serve, and to be served by our street

3.

community.
Contact Person: Misty Ratcliff
Address: 631 Dickerson Road Nashville, TN 37207
Email: misty_ratcliff@uss.salvationarmy.org
Phone: (615) 242-0411
Fax: (615) 242-0016
Orientation: Call for details
Requirements: None

Disaster Relief Opportunity

Date: Anytime
Job: Disaster Relief
Description: Salvation Army volunteers from Nashville have served with
distinction at disaster sites from Nashville, Katrina and the World Trade Center. In
recent years we have been dispatched to work in the Nashville Floods of 2010,
The Tornado Outbreak of April/May 2011 in Chattanooga, TN and the 2012
Tornado of March in West Liberty KY. Nashville teams have responded to the
9/11 World Trade Center Attack Recovery and Katrina Recovery, Disaster
volunteers provide mass feeding services, logistical and social services support,
and emotion/spiritual care to the survivors of these events. Those who are

qualified assist in counseling disaster victims.

Contact Person: Misty Ratcliff
Address: 631 Dickerson Road Nashville, TN 37207
Phone: (615) 242-0411

Fax: (615) 242-0016

Orientation: Training is provided
Requirements: None

Perspective and Experience:

I am somewhat familiar with the Salvation Army. My personal encounters with this
organization hail from Texas, Mississippi, and the great Volunteer State of Tennessee. I have
accepted help of their services before, so gratefully volunteered services in return. My personal
experiences with this organization spans a length of three decades. I have received nearly lifesaving services which included: food, clothing, shelter, transportation, counseling, and spiritual
guidance.
Please consider my experience and testimony of what a difference just one volunteer can
make. If you want to meet human needs without discrimination, do accept these and other
opportunities which the Salvation Army and similar organizations offer to service volunteers
individuals who prepare food for the homeless or ill, tutor children, bring relief to the
victims of disasters (Worth, 2014, p. 211). Without volunteers like you, nonprofit
organizations such as this one may not continue to help people in time of crises.

I was recently reminded of an ideal Volunteers state-of-mind by an active volunteer and

donator to this and other organizations who said, I've come across some good people who just
need a hand up (not a hand out) to make it. (Cage, 2014) With these opportunities you will be
doing just that while accomplishing a real improvement in someones life. Such accomplishment
provides an experience that cannot be equaled.
The Bell Ringing opportunity gives anyone a chance to collect funds throughout the most
giving time of year: the Christmas season. A Bell Ringer can be assured that he or she is filling a
large role collecting money that funds the organizations various gap-filling fronts. For example,
money which the Bell Ringers collect is dished out by a Soup Wagon volunteer in the form of
hot meals to the homeless. The best thing about a Soup Wagon position is that they aggressively
hunt out the homeless and desperate and seek to build relationships with those who may
otherwise be doomed to their circumstances. It takes money to buy the food, and it takes
Volunteers to collect and distribute hot meals to the people.
Disaster Relief requires serious Volunteers who are willing to face the elements and a
measure of danger to relieve the suffering of those affected by natural disasters. I was one of the
people in Tennessee that lost their homes due to the May 2010 historic 1000-year-floods of
Middle Tennessee. Disaster struck again April 4, 2011 in Dickson, Tennessee when an F-1
tornado drove a large tree limb through the roof of the travel trailer in which we had lived since
the flood. Fortunately, I and my family were physically unharmed in both events.
After these back-to-back catastrophes, we moved to Centerville, Tennessee and rented a
house. Shortly afterwards, I met a man whose family was on the news the following summer of
2014, having had been swept away in flash flooding. His 6-year old son, Tristen Demumbran
was found sometime later a mile downstream after over 100 volunteers searched for him.

(NewsChannel-5, 2014) He and his surviving children came to pick up a freezer I was
advertising on the internet. We loaded the freezer in his truck and spoke with him and his
children. Learning that they needed a refrigerator too, I gave them a refrigerator and a picture of
Jesus to go with it. When disaster strikes, people need help. Volunteering in such times is more
than a past-time or hobby, it is a duty.
I would recommend just about anyone for the opportunities listed above. Any of the
opportunities could be improved simply by a volunteer showing up and helping. The Salvation
Armys mission behind the tasks is simple enough. The Salvation Army, an international
movement, is an evangelical part of the universal Christian Church. Its message is based on the
Bible. Its ministry is motivated by the love of God. Its mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus
Christ and to meet human needs in His name without discrimination. (Army, 2014) Its goal is to
meet human needs. Its that simple and everything is provided by donations. It just needs
volunteers to help.
Nonprofits may have reasons for desiring the involvement of volunteers that go beyond
the economics of needed labor. (Worth, 2014, p. 223) The Salvation Army has assessed its need
for volunteers. As the opportunities listed above suggest, the involvement of volunteers may
increase connections with the community or clients, inject passion and energy into the
organizations culture, and even open doors to new sources of funding. (Worth, 2014, p. 223)
This organization does not permit counterproductive program practices by, recruiting volunteers
exclusively for the sake of community engagement or fund-raisingwithout a clear
understanding of how they will make substantive contributions toward achieving the
organizations mission (Army, 2014, p. 223) On the contrary, the manner in which the

volunteer program is organized (is) consistent with the overall construction of the organization.
(Worth, 2014, p. 224)
Volunteers may be unpaid, but they are part of the organizations workforce. (Hence),
there are formal policies that spell out the expectations, rules, and standards by which will be
evaluated and, if necessary, terminated. (Worth, 2014, p. 226) Each time I volunteered for the
Salvation Army, they were more than eager to permit me sign me up. Volunteers are given a
copy of the policies andsign a statement acknowledging that they have read them. In addition,
theycarry liability insurance, to protect both organizational assets and volunteers. (Worth,
2014, p. 226)

Tennessee The Volunteer State

Tennessee has a rich history of Volunteers. That is why it is revered as The Volunteer
State. As any born-and-raised Texan like me will testify, we learned in our Texas History class
of what former U.S. Representative for Tennessee-Davy Crockett (Tennessee Representative to
the United States), Former Tennessee Governor-Sam Houston (HCA_Foundation, 2014), and
other Tennesseans did for us, making up the largest group of volunteers from any one state who
sacrificed their lives at the Battle of the Alamo. The sacrifice of Davy Crockett and his
Volunteers fighting for 13 straight days against thousands of Mexican soldiers allowed for Sam

Houston to prepare his troops and finally defeat Santa Anna winning Texass independence
which last to this very day. (Wiki_Commons, 2014) Ive been to the Alamo, and I could just feel
the spirits from every state of the brave men who volunteered to help Texas gain its
independence. To know that after Texass call to the United States for help, the fact that the most
Volunteers arrived from Tennesseefar more than any other statemeans a great deal in the
heart of many Texans even to this day.
But, the history of the Tennessees Volunteerism goes back farther than the Alamo.
Tennessee first earned its nickname as the Volunteer State during the War of 1812 due to the
large numbers of Tennesseans who volunteered to serve in battle against Great Britain...Later,
soon would-be President Andrew Jackson led 2000 Tennessee volunteer soldiersin 1815 at the
Battle of New Orleans.as many as 30,000 Tennesseans again volunteered in the Mexican War.
(wisegeek.com, 2014) It is no wonder Tennessee is called the great Volunteer State. I was proud
to learn that I have biological family from both Texas and Tennessee, and I am proud to dwell in
this state where the Spirit of Volunteerism is still strong. The history of brave men and women of
Tennessee have provided for their descendants to carry on that spirit. What a better way in this
day and time than to volunteer for a nonprofit organization such as the Salvation Army which is
helping men and women rebuild their lives.
For More Salvation Army Volunteer Opportunities

References
Army, T. S. (2014). Mission-Statement. Retrieved from SalvationArmyUSA.org:
http://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/mission-statement

Cage, K. (2014). Volunteer Blog-Cage. Introduction to Nonprofit Organizations (R51-F14C)Module 6 Discusson Board. Tennessee: elearn.rodp.org. Retrieved from
https://elearn.rodp.org/d2l/le/5854343/discussions/threads/13990974/View
HCA_Foundation. (2014). Alamo. Retrieved 2014, from TN History for Kids:
http://www.tnhistoryforkids.org/places/alamo
NewsChannel-5. (2014, June 7). Video. Retrieved from jrn.com:
http://www.jrn.com/newschannel5/news/262042131.html
Wiki_Commons. (2014). Battle_of_the_Alamo. Retrieved 2014, from Wikipedia.org:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Alamo
wisegeek.com. (2014). Why is Tennessee Known as the Voluteer State? Retrieved 2014, from
WiseGeek.com: http://www.wisegeek.com/why-is-tennessee-known-as-the-volunteerstate.htm
Worth, M. J. (2014). Nonprofit Management Principles and Practices, 3rd Ed. Thousand Oaks:
Sage.