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The pandemic has affected many charity organizations and the need for volunteers continues to grow, particularly in Kamloops.
The Mustard Seed Kamloops has been having an especially hard time finding volunteers.
“We always have a need for volunteers. We have three main areas that volunteers help out at,” Mustard Seed Kamloops communications and volunteer co-ordinator Tyler Lowey said.
“Two in the outreach facility helping out in the kitchen and the day room, which is open seven days a week. And then also in our thrift store, which is down to five days, Monday to Friday … But there’s lots of help needed at the thrift store because that’s where we get all the donations from the community.”
The Mustard Seed provides services, such as meals and support, to those in the community experiencing poverty and homelessness.
The volunteer program is run by Lowey, and it’s easy enough to get involved with. However, he finds that in the community the program doesn’t seem to be that well known.
“We’re trying to get word out there about our volunteer program. It was a little chaotic and unorganized, and so I’ve been working to try and get it under control. So now we have this great online program, where anyone can go to our website and sign up to get the ball rolling, and then I work with them for the paperwork and training them in our processes.”
Lowey is grateful to those who’ve have stepped up in the past but urges others to come forward.
“A lot of our volunteer population are elderly people, people that have retired, which is fantastic, but also they are in that COVID target zone,” Lowey said.
“If elderly people need to step back and slow down how much they volunteer, we understand that. But that has happened, and so that has been a big COVID side effect.”
In addition to volunteers, the Mustard Seed Kamloops is always welcoming donations at the thrift store located at 342 Seymour St.
“Everything we get donated we turn around and sell and the money goes 100 per cent back into the Mustard Seed Kamloops for other programs and initiatives.”
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