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It began with a simple idea... serving God by serving others.
Volunteers of America was founded by Christian social reformers Ballington and Maud Booth in March, 1896 when they saw the need to relieve the hardships of the urban poor, of children, and of prisoners. They also saw that many Americans had no way to express their commitment to God and fulfill their desire to help others. This prompted the development of Christian social services motivated by the Ten Principles of Volunteers of America. This motive for service is also conveyed in Ballington Booth's "Last Grand Field Council Address," delivered in St. Paul, MN on May 19, 1937.
Volunteers of America has become one of the nation's oldest, largest, most diversified and most effective non-profit human services agencies in our nation. Serving all 50 states, Volunteers of America has established programs to meet the needs of the elderly, the disabled, the homeless, the abused, children, youth, and criminal offenders returning to society. Volunteers of America is the nation's largest non-profit provider of affordable housing for low-income families and the elderly, and is a major provider of skilled long-term nursing care and other health services.