232: The volunteer rebound with Hillary Jackson and Adriana Thiele
Release Date: 07/21/2025
253: Why joy is meant to be shared
The Do Gooders Podcast
Sharing joy isn’t just a phrase. It’s not a slogan. It’s a lived experience. It’s what happens when someone who once received help becomes someone who helps. It’s what happens when hope doesn’t stop at relief—but continues through healing, takes root, and then moves outward. Help. Healing. Hope. Helping. That full circle—that’s what this season is about. Over the coming weeks, you’ll hear stories from people who know that circle intimately. People who came to The Salvation Army at moments when life felt overwhelming, uncertain or broken. People who were met with care,...
info_outline
Coming Soon: Share The Joy
The Do Gooders Podcast
A new season of The Do Gooders Podcast is coming soon. We'll explore stories of help, healing and hope.
info_outline
252: A new year, a new chapter with Commissioners James and Sue Betts
The Do Gooders Podcast
As we begin a new year, we’re sharing the joy of a new chapter in the Western Territory. Commissioners James and Sue Betts have stepped into leadership as the new Territorial Commander and Territorial President of Women’s Ministries for The Salvation Army’s USA Western Territory. After nearly three decades of ministry together—in corps, divisions, the Adult Rehabilitation Centers, and most recently in national leadership—they bring a wealth of experience, a deep love for people, and a contagious joy for serving the Lord. Married for 33 years and officers for 29, they’re the proud...
info_outline
251: The extraordinary gift of Christmas with Commissioner Douglas Riley
The Do Gooders Podcast
Today, we’re closing out our Give With Joy series with a special Christmas message from our Territorial Commander, Commissioner Douglas Riley. As we celebrate the season together, Commissioner Riley invites us to pause amid the noise and remember the heart of Christmas—the miracle of God’s love made known in Jesus. It’s a message of hope for the weary, joy for the heart that gives, and peace for all who make room for him this season. So wherever this message finds you today—whether surrounded by family, serving your community, making those final preparations, or simply listening in...
info_outline
250: Olympia’s Roaring Motorcycle Toy Run with Captain Amelia Mott
The Do Gooders Podcast
Every December in Olympia, Washington, the sound of Christmas isn’t just bells ringing—it’s engines revving. For one incredible day, thousands of bikers fill the streets, each with toys strapped to their motorcycles—dolls, skateboards, games, stuffed animals—all destined for children who might otherwise go without. It’s the annual Olympia Toy Run, and for 48 years, this event has brought together riders from all over the region for one shared purpose: bringing joy to kids at Christmas. Those toys, thousands of them, end up at The Salvation Army, where they become part of the Toy...
info_outline
249: Inside The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree with Marlene Klotz-Collins
The Do Gooders Podcast
There’s nothing quite like the joy on a child’s face when they open a Christmas gift chosen just for them. It’s the kind of joy that lingers long after the wrapping paper is gone—the joy of being remembered, seen and loved. For more than 40 years, has made that moment possible for children across the country. It has grown into a movement that now brings Christmas joy to more than a million children each year. The idea was simple: invite the community to adopt a child by name, shop for their Christmas wishes, and then return those gifts so they could be placed into the hands of...
info_outline
248: Christmas began with a promise with Amanda Bible Williams
The Do Gooders Podcast
Christmas isn’t only about the manger in Bethlehem. It’s about the bigger story—one that stretches from Genesis to Revelation. The story of creation, fall, redemption and restoration. And at its center, the good news, as we read in John 1:14, is the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. At Christmas, we celebrate that truth—the Word became flesh. In the middle of all the gift-giving and celebrations, Scripture reminds us that the greatest gift has already been given. And that gift—the Bible tells us—is for you. That’s also the conviction behind She Reads Truth,...
info_outline
247: Behind the Red Kettle
The Do Gooders Podcast
Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on one of the most familiar sights and sounds of Christmas: the Red Kettle. You’ve probably walked past one outside your grocery store or shopping center—the bell ringing, the volunteers bundled up in scarves and mittens, and that iconic kettle inviting you to pause for just a moment and give. This year, for the 135th year, The Salvation Army’s iconic Red Kettles will stand as a symbol of hope, generosity and community. Last year, in just 28 days, Americans gave nearly $100 million at thousands of kettles nationwide. Every dollar stayed in the...
info_outline
246: Your brain on altruism with Nicole Karlis
The Do Gooders Podcast
The Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 9:7 that “God loves a cheerful giver.” And we’ve seen that throughout this series—giving changes lives, both for those who receive and for those who give. But here’s something interesting: science agrees. Research shows that helping others doesn’t just strengthen communities—it also transforms our health. Acts of kindness can boost our resilience, lower stress, and even help us live longer. Today, I’m joined by health and science journalist Nicole Karlis, author of “Your Brain on Altruism.” In her book, she explores how generosity...
info_outline
245: Profiles in joyful giving
The Do Gooders Podcast
Alright, let’s cut right to it today: the people behind the gifts—the donors, kids, families and partners who show us what it means to give with joy. Paul reminds us in 2 Corinthians 9:7: “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” And when we hear “cheerful giver,” it’s easy to picture the act itself—dropping money in a kettle, buying a toy for a child, or writing a check. But what’s so powerful is how giving transforms both the receiver and the giver. In this episode, you’ll...
info_outlineWant to hear some encouraging news that's emerging from communities across America? After years of declining volunteer participation—a trend that accelerated during the pandemic—researchers are documenting what they're calling a "volunteer rebound."
The numbers are striking. Nearly 30 percent of Americans formally volunteered from 2022 to 2023, contributing almost 5 billion hours of service. That's a return to pre-pandemic levels, and in some places, volunteer participation is reaching heights we haven't seen in years.
But this isn't just about getting back to where we were. Something deeper is happening. We're seeing new forms of volunteering emerge—virtual opportunities that make service accessible to people who couldn't participate before. We're witnessing dramatic growth in some locations, like one Salvation Army center that saw a 162 percent increase in volunteers across three years. And perhaps most meaningfully, we're seeing more people who once received help returning to serve others.
To help us understand what's driving this volunteer rebound and what it means for communities across the West, I'm joined by two guests today: Hillary Jackson is the Managing Editor for Caring Magazine, and recently reported on this trend, and Adriana Thiele is the Director of Volunteers and Community Engagement for The Salvation Army in San Diego.
We'll explore not just the numbers behind this rebound, but the stories—how volunteering is becoming a pathway to healing, how people are finding new ways to serve and how communities are becoming more resilient as a result. We'll also look at some innovative approaches, from disaster response training to virtual volunteering opportunities that are expanding who can participate in meaningful service.
Whether you're already volunteering, thinking about getting involved, or simply curious about this trend that's quietly on the rise, this episode will give you insight into how people just like you are choosing to be part of extraordinary change.
EPISODE SHOWNOTES: Read more.
BE AFFIRMED. Get the Good Words email series.
JOIN THE HOPEFULS. Get inside the group.
WHAT’S YOUR CAUSE? Take our quiz.
BE INSPIRED. Follow us on Instagram.
DO GOOD. Give to The Salvation Army.