From Family Volunteering to Lifelong Purpose
For Peter and Amy N., volunteering isn’t something they fit into their lives—it’s something that has shaped their lives. Their connection to Simpson Housing Services stretches back nearly three decades, to the 1990s, when their children were still in late elementary and middle school. Back then, volunteering was a family affair. Their kids came along, learning early what it meant to show up for others.
Their involvement began through Faith United Methodist Church in Saint Anthony, helping prepare and serve meals at Simpson’s original shelter location. Over time, as the shelter moved and evolved, so did Peter and Amy’s role. They became regular prep cooks, quietly working behind the scenes to make sure meals were ready for guests. Then, about three years ago, they were asked to take on something new: the bread run.
A few times each month, Peter and Amy stop by Turtle Bread in Minneapolis to collect donated loaves and pastries. Back at the shelter, they slice the bread for toast and sandwiches and arrange pastry trays for the weekends. It’s not glamorous work, but that’s never been the point. What matters is that guests have good bread: baguettes with soup, toast in the morning, something comforting and familiar. As Peter puts it, “The bread is pretty darn nice.”
Their commitment has taken many forms over the years. When organizing monthly meals through their church became unsustainable—feeding 120 people while juggling full-time jobs and an aging volunteer base—they didn’t walk away from Simpson. Instead, they found other ways to help. Prep cooking. Working at Art 4 Shelter. Even transporting a World War II plaque honoring veterans from Simpson United Methodist Church to Fort Ripley when the old building was being torn down.
Now retired, Peter and Amy see volunteering as a way to stay grounded. Amy spent her career as a first-grade teacher in Blaine; Peter was a news photographer with WCCO. Both professions kept them closely connected to the public and to people’s real struggles. Volunteering, along with delivering Meals on Wheels, continues that connection. “It keeps you in touch with reality,” Amy says. “It’s a reminder that not everyone’s needs are being met—and that community support matters.”
They’ve watched Simpson change and grow, most recently with the opening of the new shelter. After attending an open house in November, they returned to help unpack and organize storage areas. They’re excited—not just by the building itself, but by what it represents: privacy, dignity, and care. “Just seeing that guests have access to simple needs like personal storage, and power outlets to charge devices means so much,” Amy says. She looks forward to seeing the building filled with people.
Some of their most meaningful moments come from small interactions. Cutting bread at a table overlooking the dining room, guests would stop to chat. One man proudly announced he had work that day—painting—and his excitement stayed with them. “You just hope it’s real for him,” Peter recalls, “because he was so excited.”
When asked what they’d say to someone who feels they don’t have time to volunteer, their answer is simple: you make time. Finding flexible opportunities helps, too. If you can’t show up one week, that’s okay. What people often don’t realize, Peter adds, is that volunteering gives back as much as it gives. Gratitude flows both ways. It broadens your perspective and reminds you that everyone—regardless of circumstance—wants the same things: safety, security, and a chance to move forward.
Amy sums it up best. Having more doesn’t make someone more valuable, just more privileged. Around the world, and right here at home, people share the same basic needs: love, food, safety, shelter. By meeting those needs, Simpson Housing Services gives people the foundation they need to grow—and for Peter and Amy, being part of that work has enriched their lives for nearly 30 years and counting. Contact Aaron via email with questions.