SALISBURY — As a local nonprofit seeks volunteers, one team member shared how much helping out has helped her.

Nadine Potts began volunteering at Rowan Helping Ministries in 2012, assisting clients in the agency’s Crisis Assistance Network.

Potts, a retired nurse, spends nearly every Friday morning on the phone with clients who need emergency assistance with rent, food or utility payments, connecting them with resources and helping them regain their footing after a temporary financial crisis.

“I’m not a sit-at-home kind of girl,” Potts said.

Potts has multiple sclerosis, and after a hiatus from volunteering that included an unsuccessful back surgery, she missed helping others.

She is quick to recount some of her many rewarding experiences working with clients, including helping a woman who had started a new job but was behind on bills set up a payment plan to avoid having her electricity shut off. Many clients ask her how they can give back to the agency that has helped them through a tough time.

“Some clients ask how (they) can help,” Potts says. “I tell them (to) show up.”

Several of her former clients have returned as volunteers themselves.

As the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged the globe and society shut down, the need for the services Rowan Helping Ministries provides continued and increased. The agency never closed its doors and relied on the resiliency and innovation of its staff and supporters to maintain its day-to-day functions.

While the pandemic has faded into the background, Rowan Helping Ministries’ volunteer corps remains nearly halved. Many regular volunteers were forced to step back due to health concerns and changes in life circumstances.

The number of volunteers is starting to rebound, but a need for more still exists, which presents a significant challenge for the organization since it relies heavily on volunteers to provide its services.

Looking for volunteer opportunities after she retired from her nursing career in 2021, Sheila Prevatte toured the Rowan Helping Ministries campus and was impressed.

“I’m just so amazed at this organization and at the scope of programs and services that are offered with the small number of full-time staff,” Prevatte said.

She now volunteers weekly in the Salisbury food pantry and serves on the organization’s Resource Development Committee, helping with special events and fundraisers.

Prevatte was also instrumental in forming the Faith Relations Committee, where ambassadors from local faith organizations spread the word and encouraged their faith communities to volunteer at Rowan Helping Ministries.

Asked what advice she would give someone considering volunteering for the organization, Prevatte said not to hesitate.

“It’s very rewarding (and) it’s fun,” Prevatte said.

Each volunteer shadows or trains with a staff member before working on a particular task. No prior experience is necessary, and tasks are suitable for various ages, abilities and schedules.

There is a need for volunteers to interview clients applying for financial assistance, participate in food packing parties, sort clothes in the Clothing Center, deliver bags for the Food for Thought program, cook and serve meals in Jeannie’s Kitchen, serve as life coaches, stock and distribute food in the Salisbury food pantry, and provide reception assistance.

To register to become a volunteer, go to www.rowanhelpingminstries.org/volunteer to complete an application or contact the volunteer manager, Marissa Gainey, at 704-637-6838 x112 or by email at mgainey@rowanhelpingministries.org.