Volunteer’s Dedication Brings Hope and Care to Those in Need

Hellen Esonga walked through the doors of The Salvation Army in Windsor with a desire to give back to a community that has warmly embraced her.

Since arriving in Canada from Kenya in October, the journey has been rooted in faith, resilience, and optimism for the future, and now she’s sharing that hopefulness with others, whether assisting with the Soap with Hope program or helping out in the kitchen, volunteering whenever needed. In February, she was recognized as The Salvation Army Windsor Centre of Hope’s Volunteer of the Month, honouring the dedication to improving the lives of others.

“I believe in the power of goodness and the importance of assisting those in need,” Hellen says. “When you do something to help people out, you are serving God.”

Through Soap with Hope and preparing meals in the kitchen for anyone sheltering from the cold in the overnight warming centre, Hellen has already accumulated more than 150 hours in service.

“Hellen has been an amazing volunteer since starting here. Whenever there is a shift that needs to be filled, she always jumps at the opportunity,” says Centre of Hope community engagement specialist Shannon Barnwell. “Her willingness and pure passion to learning more about the centre and assisting others is truly inspiring.”

Now on staff at the Centre of Hope as a part time housekeeper, Hellen is passionate about continuing to assist others while dreaming of becoming a nurse to provide a better future for her two boys in Kenya, who she hopes to reunite with in Windsor.

“I would like to thank The Salvation Army for giving me this opportunity to grow and improve my skills and I am excited to continue to help my community.”

To learn how you can help your community as a valued Salvation Army mission partner, please visit www.salvationarmy.ca/volunteer.