I had a chance last week, along with a dozen of my Knight Foundation colleagues, to volunteer at the Salvation Army in Miami’s Allapattah neighborhood. The center houses as many as 400 residents every night.

Miami is one of the communities where Knight invests and our Miami Program Director, Matt Haggman, was on hand to help prepare and serve lunch to residents and guests. Knight has previously supported the Salvation Army for post-Hurricane Katrina relief efforts in Harrison County, Miss. and for a child literacy program in Lexington, Ky.

Centers like the Salvation Army are often in need of volunteers to help serve hot meals and assist in food and grocery distributions, as well other special projects like redesigning shared spaces or holiday drives. Each year it feeds over 460,000 people in Miami. The Salvation Army also provides emergency services offering residents immediate care and long-term support in the event of a natural disaster.

To find a shelter near you, you can visit the Salvation Army’s website.

By Lauren Rothstein, assistant at Knight Foundation