It Starts with a Smile—and Ends in Hope
A Warm Welcome
Volunteers like Karen are often the first connection to hope at CROSS Services. Since March 2020, she’s been greeting clients at our front desk with kindness, compassion, and an ever-present smile. She is a reassuring presence that helps set the tone for the care and dignity that follows.
Answering the Call to Serve
Karen joined the CROSS Services team during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The process was very different back then,” she remembers, “but the results were the same—providing caring services to our community’s most vulnerable residents.”
She first connected with CROSS Services through her faith community, Northwood Church, after participating in several food drives. But it was a presentation by our own Pat Schwalbe that truly sparked something deeper. “Pat Schwalbe came to speak at Northwood and give an update on the important, multi-faceted support CROSS Services provides to the community, and I just felt compelled to be a part of that,” Karen shared.
A Steady Presence at the Front Desk
Since then, Karen’s become an essential part of our volunteer crew. She helps at the front desk and offering a warm, respectful welcome to everyone who walks through our doors. Tracey, our Volunteer & Customer Service Manager, says it best, “Karen leads with love and grace and she is a light to all who meet her.”
Find Your Role
For Karen, volunteering is about more than just giving time. it’s about making a real difference. She explains it simply, “If you have a heart for others—those in need of a hand up to support their basic needs of food, clothing, housing, etc.—you can find no better place to make your contributions. There are so many ways to be involved; a role for almost anyone.”
That spirit of compassion is what fuels our volunteer community—from Rogers to Maple Grove to Osseo and beyond. Whether it’s greeting guests, accepting donations, stocking our shelves, every volunteer plays an important part in making a difference.
If you’ve been considering lending your time and talents to a non-profit in Rogers, MN, we’d love to hear from you. There’s always a place on our team for people who want to help strengthen our community.
