After 30+ years living in the community and raising three children with his wife, Tim Thul was searching for a way to give back. When he heard a sermon at Eastview about being of service, he quickly got connected with RF4F.
For the past year, Tim has been driving the RF4F truck to deliver furniture to households in need and pick up furniture from households with extra to share.
“I instantly found this volunteer role to be perfect for me. I didn’t need any special skills to get started—just a willing heart and a strong back. I love volunteering here. It is so organized and the warehouse team makes it so easy to show up and know exactly what’s in store for my two-hour shift. Everything about it is simple and straightforward with strong boundaries.”
Having a clear, 2-hour shift makes it convenient for Tim to plan his volunteer role around his job at State Farm. He has been disappointed with some volunteer and ministry opportunities in the past, feeling frustrated when he’s shown up not knowing what to do or how long he’d be expected to stay.
To Tim, RF4F runs like a well-oiled machine: “This is the most organized volunteer opportunity I’ve ever had. I just show up on time and everything is ready. The truck is neatly loaded, the map ready, we call the family expecting us, and we get going.”
Seeing the families who benefit from the furniture is a highlight for Tim. “It’s heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time to see their gratitude. It might be a single mom with three kids standing in front of an empty apartment, who now have a home full of furniture. The kids are excited to have beds, the mom to have a dresser.”
And knowing that the furniture he picks up and delivers is good quality is satisfying to Tim: “It’s not junk furniture. I see the furniture we pick up and then see it go out later as it blesses the recipients.”
After each shift Tim serves, he finds he is more blessed than he is blessing others: “If you are not participating in something like this, you’re robbing yourself of a blessing. Plus, I get to meet and volunteer with people I truly enjoy.”
Tim’s advice: get involved with RF4F. “Be blessed, meet new people, and actually make a difference.”