Posted on April 30, 2026
Volunteers at Penn-Mar are giving their time, energy, and heart to others in the community.
April is National Volunteer Month, and the spirit of generosity is alive and well at Penn-Mar.
Over the years, Penn-Mar has received support from families, individuals, and small businesses who have generously shared their time, talent, and resources. Many corporate volunteer teams also offer hands-on assistance with landscaping and the refurbishment of physical spaces at our offices and community homes.
We’ve highlighted many of our generous volunteers over the years, but what you may not realize is that some of the people we support are doing that same work every day.
Lisa smiles at the camera while standing behind the cash register in the gift shop.
a Westminster Community Development Services participant, has volunteered one day a week at Carroll Lutheran Village Senior Living and Care community gift shop in Westminster for the past two years. She helps with cleaning and socializes with customers. She has also been working on improving her business skills and building her confidence by engaging with customers.
According to Senior Direct Support Professional (DSP) Maria Swift, Lisa is independent by nature, so it took her a while to feel at ease greeting and assisting Gift Shop customers. “I’ve seen so much growth in her since she started at the gift shop. The position has greatly improved her communication skills, and now she feels very comfortable chatting with her regular customers, which boosted her confidence. She is also learning to count by fives and tens while working the cash register,” said Maria.
In fact, Lisa said that “working the cash register is my favorite task of the day!”
Mark smiles at the camera and holds a thumbs up as he stands in front of a large stack of pallets that’s almost taller than he is.
a Penn-Mar resident since 2020, is a popular volunteer at First Fruits Farm, a nonprofit, Christian ministry that provides fresh, nutritious food for the hungry.
His DSP Brett Goldstein praises him as one of the hardest working volunteers there. “Mark is entrusted with many tasks at the Farm,” he said. “He is most famously known as the ‘Stack Boss’ because he is responsible for stacking and organizing all the bread loaf pallets, sometimes well over 100 pallets a day. He also boxes the bread and ensures that all the boxes are placed in a specific amount and order.”
Senior DSP Becca Lee, who also supports Mark, says “Mark is a volunteer SUPERSTAR and a bit of a goofball. He’s always making people laugh.”
He also spends a few hours each Wednesday volunteering at the ReStore Donation Center in Westminster benefitting Habitat for Humanity, and has given his time at the Hereford Library, York Food Bank and Talmar Farms in Towson, Maryland.
Mark enjoys his volunteer activities. “It feels good helping the poor and homeless who need fresh food and affordable household items.” He likes that it gets him out of the house where he can “be with people and do something productive.”
Miriam smiles as she prepares food in a kitchen.
has been with Penn-Mar since 2017. Her volunteer activities are frequent and varied! “Through her efforts in volunteering, she was able to land a job at Tropical Smoothie Cafe in Shrewsbury, in which she is now flourishing,” said Jessica Patchel, Day Program Manager at Penn-Mar North.
In her free time, Miriam volunteers at Life Path Christian Ministry Rescue Mission in York alongside Katrina Cooper, a former Penn-Mar employee, who works with her to serve hot lunches, bag snacks, and prepare “Oliver” meals for the homeless.
The Ministry recently honored Miriam and Katrina at a volunteer appreciation event, recognizing them for preparing 15,000 “Oliver” meals in just one year and cited Miriam’s 1,079 volunteer hours over two years.
Angie Shaffer, a Penn-Mar DSP who worked with Miriam for the past four years, said Miriam’s work is noticed by the people she volunteers with. “Miriam is very focused and diligent,” she said. “She is very independent and needs minimal prompting to complete her tasks.”
Miriam also gives her time to Grace Fellowship Church in Shrewsbury where she volunteers at their Fall Fest and Christmas breakfast held at their Dream Center, and for almost three years she has volunteered for Meals on Wheels at the Central York County Senior Center in New Freedom.
Her non-food-related volunteer activities include helping to care for rabbits at the annual York Fair in July, cuddling cats at the SPCA, and assisting with preparing Operation Christmas Child’s gift boxes to be sent to children all over the world.
“I like helping people in need,” said Miriam. “I’m happy to work hard and like being part of a team, socializing, and getting to do fun stuff.”
According to Becca Lee, Penn-Mar is always looking for new volunteer opportunities for the people we support. “The experience gives them a positive outlook on life and when they return home, they know they’ve done something important for the day.”
At the end of the day, it’s not just about the hours they give. It’s about being part of something, showing up for others, and knowing they made a difference.