In Remembrance of Simpson Volunteer Andy Benjamin
Director of Volunteer Engagement Christina Giese and Andy Benjamin, Simpson’s longest serving volunteer
Andy Benjamin, Simpson’s longest serving volunteer, passed away on June 30, 2020. Andy dedicated his life to service, providing generous support over decades to individuals and families served by Simpson and other local nonprofits.
Shelter staff member Kris Stevenson, Director of Volunteer Engagement Christina Giese, and Shelter Manager Robert Hofmann describe Andy’s legacy of service and compassion and the impact he had on so many people:
“Andy started volunteering at the shelter the same year, 1982, as I became a janitor there. As I was a young pup starting at the shelter, I would see these older women and men volunteering every night and then see them again in the morning as they stayed over nights. Andy was there the longest, outlasting everyone with his dedication and service to the homeless cause.
The last few years I would see Andy drop by in his Ford Ranger truck, picking up the aluminum cans that we had saved for him to take to the recycler. I would hand him the plastic bags with the cans, and he would climb into the back of his truck, and on his knees, push the bags backward so he could fit all the bags inside. I was amazed that at his age he still cared to do this for Simpson, writing out a check to us for the mostly small prices that he received for the cans. Andy would always give me a handshake and a hug afterwards.
I remember Andrew for his hard work, tenacity, spirituality, and kindness.”
“I first met Andy when I started at Simpson Housing Services 18 years ago when I was 21 years old. He has made a permanent impression on my life and it is hard to believe that he is gone.
Andy was an incredibly special person. The way he lived his life in service was a true inspiration and has helped shape the person I am and want to be. In addition to volunteering at the shelter, he collected cans from his former workplace, H.B. Fuller, and local businesses in order to raise money for Simpson. He collected thousands of pounds of cans over the years and raised thousands of dollars through his efforts.
Andy began volunteering at Simpson when the shelter opened in 1982 and was our longest serving volunteer. Andy loved numbers, so I looked at our volunteer database — which is 20 years old — and found that he shared more than 2,400 hours of his time in the last 20 years. Only Andy knows how many hours he shared from 1982 to 2000.
Andy truly dedicated his life to service. He prepared taxes through Prepare + Prosper every tax season and rang bells for Salvation Army in the winter months. He continued to volunteer and support Simpson as long as he was physically able. I already miss his can-do attitude, thoughtful questions, passion for life and service, sense of humor, faith, and warm hugs. No one can be as amazing as Andy, but I hope to walk in his footsteps in my own way.”
— Christina
“Andy was such a kind presence. He was part of the fabric of Simpson’s shelter. I came to the agency as a volunteer, and right away I felt welcomed by him. Andy was the person you could call just a few hours in advance to come in and stay overnight at the shelter. He took an interest in people. I would call and ask if he would help a guest with taxes. He would ask when it was best to meet and offer his help.
Andy bridged the evolution of our shelter, from what it was at its beginnings in 1982 to now, when we have a more sophisticated understanding of homelessness.
Andy was a part of the ethos of the volunteers that knew they have been called to serve, who genuinely wanted to help in the community they lived in. Into his eighties, Andy was still volunteering a few times per month. His dedication and lifetime of service is uncommon these days. He will be greatly missed.”
— Robert
Read more about Andy Benjamin in this Star Tribune article: http://strib.mn/3jS4Uxc