Volunteer Spotlight: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
“HK has provided a really beautiful opportunity of service and educational experiences for our families. It’s one thing to talk about serving, and it’s another thing to do it. HK provides a lot of opportunities to do it,” said Kim Daley, Communication Director for the Kansas Wichita Coordinating Council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, an Operation Holiday in-kind sponsor. We recently had the privilege to talk with Kim about her experiences as an HK volunteer. We’re so grateful for her committed service to HK’s mission.
“It’s people helping people. At the core, that’s what HK is all about,” said Kim.
Kim shared with us about an experience that made an impression on her when she first volunteered for Operation Holiday. “I was a personal shopper for a woman, and we got to talking as we were walking around. She shared with me that she was raising her grandchildren alone. She was working two jobs–full-time as a nurse and then on the weekends, as well. She was so grateful for a shopping basket of food for her three grandchildren,” Kim told us through tears. “Something that doesn’t seem like much, it had such an impact. At the end, she gave me a hug and said, ‘God bless you for being here and helping.’ Everyone needs and deserves to have basic needs met.”
“For me, Operation Holiday is amazing. I didn’t know the magnitude of the need in Wichita. I had no idea of the magnitude of homeless individuals. It was a big eye-opener for me and for members of our church,” she said. “It became a really great opportunity for our members and missionaries to get involved and do something really hands-on and see the people they were helping.”
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints help with everything from sorting donations at the warehouse to setting up and directing traffic outside. Kim said that they had 40 missionaries and volunteers helping with Operation Holiday their first year they got involved.
“One thing that the church is focused on is how can we partner with organizations and other faith groups in our community to help alleviate suffering,” said Kim. “The local church leaders decided that HK would be one of the organizations that we partner with, and we provide volunteers, put collection boxes in our church buildings, and encourage our church members to donate items for Operation Holiday. We even have a church member who made bags full of scarves and hats to donate.”
We are so grateful to Kim and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for all of their support. If you would like to get involved with HumanKind’s work serving the region’s most vulnerable, you can learn more and get involved with Operation Holiday today.
