The Salvation Army, located in Mattoon, offers programs and services to those in need.

According to the Salvation Army’s website, “The Salvation Army is a religious, charitable and social service agency serving millions of men, women and children around the world since 1865.”

The Mattoon location offers countless programs for community members across the area including the After School Drop in Center.

The After School Drop in Center is a program intended to give children and teens time to do homework.

Mindy Willenborg, the youth director at the Salvation Army, said the program started three years ago and is available Monday through Friday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. during the school year.

The age of students in the program ranges from 4-18 years and for only $1 per child a day, the program consists of about 55-60 members.

An average day gives students plenty of time to do homework and offers many homework activities and snacks for the students.

The age of the students will decipher what kind of homework activity they will do.

Willenborg said the program gives students food, shows them love, teaches them about God, helps better their grades, builds up their self-esteem and instills life skills.

“We do a lot with these kids,” Willenborg said.

Willenborg said they are attempting to try a new method for the program, which asks students to work on homework for 30 minutes straight.

The method has been successful, Willenborg said, but the program needs Eastern student volunteers to serve as helpers and peer leaders to the students.

“The program always needs volunteers to give the kids the one on one attention some of them need,” Willenborg said.

Willenborg said that when looking for volunteers, there is a policy that she has to follow.

There needs to be a 10:1 ratio between the students and the volunteers, however Willenborg prefers a 5:1 ratio.

“Volunteers for the after school program provide more than just helping with homework and activities,” Willenborg said. “They provide a positive relationship for the children that they strive on.”

Willenborg instructed potential volunteers to contact Rachel Fisher, the director of student community service at Eastern.

Anyone can volunteer, but there is a training process Fisher provides to ensure positive role models for the children.

Kelsi Grubisich, graduate assistant in student community service said, “students should volunteer at the Salvation Army because it is a great cause that helps to create a safe and fun environment for children.”

Grubisich said the children have someone they can count on regularly to help with homework or to just spend time with them.

“The children enjoy being with the volunteers and the volunteers like spending their time with the children too,” Grubisich said.

“We always need volunteers and we appreciate them,” Willenborg said.

The Salvation Army After School Drop Center could always use volunteers, but there are other ways for people to give back.

“We need money, craft supplies, school supplies and game equipment,” Willenborg said.

EIU students can sign up on eiu.edu/volunteer and there is a link to PLAY, which stores the application or email the service office at [email protected].

The student community service office will provide transportation for their PLAY volunteers.

Ashley Jordan can be reached at 581-2812 or [email protected].