More than moving boxes: How Blessings of Hope connects volunteers to the mission

Food banks are facing a challenging 2026. It is projected to be a period where scaling operations is no longer optional – it is a necessity. Increased demand for social services are being seen across the United States in all sectors – not just food banks.

At the heart of the challenge is the volunteer workforce. How do you manage a surge in demand while simultaneously engaging a community of supporters at scale?

To answer this, we look to Katie Ann Lapp and the team at Blessings of Hope, who have built a program that thrives on deep connection and high-volume impact.

The power of real-time connection

Blessings of Hope manages an incredible level of activity; in a single week, their program provided 3,291 volunteer hours. To keep these individuals engaged, Katie focuses on making the work feel ‘real’. During every shift, a volunteer engagement person shares specific stats about where the food being packed that day is headed – whether it is Baltimore, New York, or various cities in Philadelphia.

This transparency helps volunteers visualize the families they are helping. To further this connection, the organization uses its waiting area to show videos of actual outreaches, including footage of people standing around blocks waiting for food boxes. As Katie notes, seeing the impact of their sorting and packing helps volunteers stay connected to the vision.

Strategic growth and the selection center

Beyond emotional connection, Blessings of Hope incorporates unique cultural elements that support their volunteers. One major draw for their program is a selection center, where volunteers can select food to take home themselves at a significantly reduced rate. This model recognizes that many who give their time are also struggling with food income, allowing the program to serve the community while supporting those who make the mission possible.

Bridging the Gap: Volunteers as donors

Strategic scaling also requires a change in how we communicate. Jenn Thompson of RKD Group points out that many organizations accidentally segment their volunteers into a limited view. Volunteers often do not receive the same newsletters or fundraising appeals as donors, meaning they may not realize when an organization has lost funding or when SNAP benefits have been cut.

Jenn advocates for “amping up the messaging” to volunteers. By breaking down these communication silos, organizations can move from asking for just time to asking for financial support when the need grows, turning a dedicated workforce into a holistic donor base.

Scalability for the future

To handle hundreds of daily volunteer spots – such as the 65 spots per shift offered at Blessings of Hope – organizations must invest in systems that offer a “slick” experience for the user. Scalability is a vital message for 2026; programs that invest in their volunteer systems now will be the ones best equipped to handle the challenges of a shrinking safety net.

The role volunteer management software plays in success

A critical component of Blessings of Hope’s ability to scale is their strategic investment in technology. They chose Rosterfy because they were forward-thinking, recognizing that they needed a platform robust enough to grow into as their impact expanded. 

Rosterfy serves as an engaging hub for their workforce, allowing volunteers to stay deeply connected to the mission through the better, timely, and relevant communication that Jenn Thompson of RKD Group identifies as essential for long-term retention.

By leveraging smart automations, Katie and her team have significantly reduced the administrative burden—eliminating wasted hours and potential manual mistakes. This shift allows Katie to move away from spreadsheets and spend more of her time where it matters most: engaging directly with her community and nurturing the culture of her program.

Join the conversation

Want to learn more about the “special sauce” that drives program growth year after year?

Register for our webinar:

• Topic: When the Safety Net Shrinks: Preparing Your Volunteer Program for Changes in Food Security Support
• Date: 11 Feb
• Time: 12:00 PM
• Featuring: Katie Ann Lapp (Blessings of Hope) and Jenn Thompson (RKD Group)

Sign up here to secure your spot!

About Rosterfy

Rosterfy exists to connect communities to events and causes they are passionate about through volunteer and paid workforce management technology.

Our proven end to end technology allows charities, events and nonprofit organisations to recruit, register, screen, train, manage and report with ease, replacing manual processes with automations to better engage and retain your volunteers and paid staff.