Almost once a month for the past five years, representatives from Sutton Group Select Realty in London, Ont. buy groceries and prepare and serve dinner to the Salvation Army’s clientele. The sales reps and staff who participate in these four-hour shifts have fun in the kitchen together preparing a nourishing meal for people in need.
“It is great to be able to help out and contribute directly to the community,” says Ron Nieman, a sales associate and one of the frequent volunteers. “The highlight is that we work as a team and as friends. We have fun and joke around with each other. We also share the cost of the food for the dinner.”
When the Salvation Army made an urgent plea for volunteers, it was sales associate Paula Hodgson who answered the call. She continues to take on the tasks of buying groceries and scheduling volunteers from the office.
“This really is a collective effort and everyone’s contribution is important,” says Nieman. “We all appreciate that Paula organizes this project, which directly benefits so many of our neighbours in need.”
In addition, the office regularly gets involved in food and toy drives. As winter approaches, they collect hats, mitts, gloves and socks for London’s homeless population.