Volunteer Spotlight

At Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo, Volunteers breathe life into our Mission,
"We are God's hands providing housing, health, and hope to His children."
At CCDOK, we could not do the work we do without their support. Whether it is behind the scenes or having direct contact with someone in need, our volunteers send a powerful message to the person being helped:
You are worthy, You are valuable, and God loves You.

We are proud to introduce some of the dedicated members of the CCDOK Volunteer Team:

Meet our Home Heating volunteers!

Roz and I have been volunteering for over ten years now.  We have covered several positions and most have been very rewarding.  First, volunteering in this type of organization has made me much more aware of the struggles others are going through on a daily basis.  So each of the assignments have been insightful in different ways but all have made me want to help others even more.  Almost always, walking out the door after volunteering, I have a feeling of "yes I have made a small difference in at least one person's life."  Thanks for the opportunity to help me grow while helping others. ~Karen Heasley

It has been over ten years that Karen and I have volunteered with Catholic Charities. It is very satisfying to know that even for a brief moment you have made a difference in someone's life. When you volunteer you ALWAYS get more than you give.
Try it! You will like it! ~Roz Stutz

Meet Wayne Leblong!

I am a retiree from Pfizer. My wife is also retired and we reside in Vicksburg. We are members of St Catherine of Siena parish.

When Covid hit in the winter of 2020, I was looking for a way to help others during the crisis. I was made aware by a friend of the food for the needy program sponsored by Catholic Charities working out of Hackett High School. 

When I went there, I considered my efforts as a small payback to the Lord for all the many blessings that have been given to me and my family over my lifetime.

The Bread of Life volunteers that I work with there are wonderful group of individuals and they inspire me each week as we work together to create and deliver boxes of hope and encouragement for those who receive them. The time there strengthens my faith.  As I work with the others, I learn that there a lot of humble folks that are motivated to help others as well and give generously of their time and talents.

I get inspirational payback by my interactions with the other dedicated volunteers and the people to whom our food is delivered. And I am glad to have this opportunity to perhaps in this small way to help those in need.