CHESAPEAKE, VA – The energy was contagious at the Operation Blessing warehouse in Chesapeake as Regent University volunteers rolled up their sleeves to bring hope to families in crisis.
Estella, a longtime Operation Blessing team member, beamed with gratitude: “I’m here with the Regent University employees. They are with us packing items for disaster relief and hunger relief in the U.S. We are so excited to have them.”
Among those volunteering was Arielle, representing the Enrollment Management Department at Regent. “We have our admissions, advising, and processing teams here—just giving back and serving as best as we can.”
But this wasn’t just any volunteer day. These teams came together for a powerful cause: to support Helping the Home Front, a program that serves military families and veterans in financial crisis. As Estella shared, “Those are meal boxes that help veterans and military families who are just paycheck to paycheck. I know that firsthand—I was a military family as well. So all of these are so impactful.”
A Hands-On Way to Serve for Regent University Volunteers
The teams of Regent University volunteers packed hygiene kits and emergency relief boxes—the very same kind that have been distributed in places like North Carolina and California following wildfires and floods.
Savi, one of the volunteers, said, “It feels amazing to be able to serve in this kind of manner. You just think—what would Jesus do to help these families? And it brings so much joy.”
That joy was shared by Allison, another volunteer, who said, “It feels amazing. I mean, we definitely want to come back. I feel like I’ve made some really good friendships with Operation Blessing.”
For many of these volunteers, the experience went beyond just lending a hand. It was a spiritual mission. “Thank you for all that you do,” Arielle said, addressing the donors who made it all possible. “Thank you for supporting this operation. Thank you for providing a way for us to serve so that we can be good stewards of God.”
Savi added, “If you’re trying to find a way to serve and you don’t necessarily have the finances to do so, this is an excellent way. You’ll feel useful—and you’ll be living out your faith.”
Because of You, Hope Reaches the Hurting
Estella summed it up. “We’re so grateful that we’re able to bring help and hope to hurting people. We can’t do it without our volunteers—and without our partners.”
Because of friends like you, Operation Blessing can continue meeting needs and restoring dignity to families across America.
Learn how you can get involved today at ob.org/volunteer.
