I have heard those words countless times over the past twenty-five years during my time at ACO. Front desk volunteers, answering calls from residents in urgent need of food, housing, and other critical resources, often begin with, “I’m just a volunteer, but let me see if I can help.”

I hear it from Food Pantry volunteers, Cares Center volunteers, Resale volunteers, and those supporting special programs and projects—almost as if to soften the importance of what they do.

Let me be clear! You are not “just volunteers.”

Whenever I brought my dad a problem, we would sit and talk it through. I’d walk away grateful for his wisdom, his experience and sometimes his slightly crazy advice. But he always ended the same way when I’d thank him for his time: “No problem, Precious.” (Yes, he really called me Precious.) “Two heads are always better than one.”

But what about 17 heads?

So they say! And at ACO, that sentiment has never rung truer. Over the years, we have worked diligently to grow and expand our programs and services while operating within very real resource constraints. It’s not always easy—but meaningful work rarely is.

Theodore Roosevelt once said, “Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.” That may well be our motto for 2026 as we continue making thoughtful facility improvements and operational changes to better serve our community.