A Volunteer with Heart

Volunteers extend compassion in the food pantry, care for the building and grounds, and provide professional expertise in the Monen Healthcare Clinic. This expansive support has enabled the Heart to meet the growing needs of the community for over 40 years.

Jake Gustafson first connected with Heart Ministry Center as a supporter and donor. Through the local pharmacy he owns, ViaRx Patient Care Pharmacy, he provides over-the-counter medications and first-aid supplies to the Monen Health Clinic. His contributions help ensure that patients have access to health resources when they need them most.

Realizing that some of his team wasn’t familiar with the mission of Heart, he decided to bring a new team member each month to volunteer in the food pantry. Through this practice, Gustafson builds a culture of service within his company and introduces more team members to the work of Heart Ministry Center.

Jacqueline Dumas, volunteer coordinator, explains that, “Our volunteers are ambassadors of the Heart Ministry Center. Because we spend time in fellowship with our community members, our volunteers are able to suggest programs and services to community members in a conversation-like setting.”

Gustafson appreciates “the many ways the Heart meets people where they are,” he says. “Food, healthcare, laundry, or just a place to sit and talk with someone. They live and breathe it.”

Gustafson recognizes that community members often face more than one challenge at a time. Access to food, healthcare, hygiene resources, and a safe, welcoming place can make an important impact. By volunteering in the pantry and supporting the Monen Health Clinic, Gustafson helps address both the immediate and long-term needs of the community.

His support of the clinic is especially personal. As someone who works in the healthcare industry, Jake understands that seeking medical care or navigating medications can feel overwhelming. “Medicine can be intimidating for anyone,” he says. “A clinic like Monen lowers that barrier so people can get the care they deserve. For someone who walks through those doors, one visit might change their life, and the lives of people around them.”

Gustafson’s generosity and leadership are an example of what it means to be a community partner. He believes that serving others often doesn’t appear as a grand gesture. “When we can stop what we are doing and get involved in the community we are part of, we jump right in to help a neighbor,” Gustafson says.

By inviting his ViaRx Patient Care Pharmacy colleagues to serve alongside him, Gustafson is helping to turn his company’s support into a hands-on commitment to the community that the Heart Ministry Center serves.