More than 35 guests attended an appreciation dinner hosted by the Salvation Army earlier this month for volunteer appreciation week.
According to Maj. Tony Brushett, executive director of the downtown Yellowknife location, the organization could not think of a better way to thank their helpers than with a lavish home-cooked roast beef meal, followed by chocolate or cheesecake and served on white linen.
Brushett estimates their volunteers saved the local organization between $150,000 and $200,000 in wages in 2024, money the organization would have had to spend to pay people to man Christmas kettles, fill and distribute food hampers, run the thrift store or serve food at special events.
People who worked the kettles not only saved them money, but they raised $47,000, all of which went back into programming.
"We would die without our volunteers," he said.
The Salvation Army tries to meet many of the needs of 327 people in Yellowknife who identified themselves as homeless in a survey done in October 2024. One hundred of them sleep at the organization's shelter every night and that doesn't include those who stay at the women's shelter, couch surf or sleep outside.
Brushett said regular volunteers fill between 80 and 100 food hampers that are distributed every week in Yellowknife as well as maintain the thrift store; 100 per cent of the money from sales at the store goes back into program funding.
The organization also gave out around 40,000 bags of groceries from its food bank in 2024, which Brushett valued at close to $1 million worth of food. In addition, volunteers distributed around $60,000 in gift cards, most of which were used to buy food or clothing. Toys valued at around $50,000 given to 500 families.
The Salvation Army is hoping to expand its services into nearby communities such as Behchoko and Ndilo In the next year by operating a five-bedroom recovery home in each community. That will give those who have been through treatment a safe long-term place to stay while they get back on their feet..
Brushett said the work done by volunteers is vital because to the organization, every life is meaningful.
"Every person we serve is someone's son, daughter, mom or aunt," he said.
