ServiceLink, a program of the Christian Reformed Church in North America (CRCNA), was initiated in Canada in 1995 to fill a need that was being experienced and voiced both by agencies of the CRCNA and by people who wanted to volunteer with those agencies.
The common concern was that if an individual wanted to volunteer in some capacity, but was not necessarily looking for something specific, they had to make a call to someone at each agency. The CRCNA in Canada decided that it needed a “one stop” office, so that a volunteer could call and talk to just one person, and then be placed with the appropriate agency from there. Not only could this office manage volunteer inquiries, but it could also be a central place to market all of the available volunteer opportunities.
The ServiceLink program is overseen by a Program Manager, along with 2 part time staff and it has expanded to the exent that it now has many partners outside of the CRCNA agencies. ServiceLink has made contact with many non-profit Christian organizations that serve both in North America and overseas. These organizations provide ServiceLink with more opportunities to meet the goal of placing a volunteer in an opportunity that uses their God-given gifts.
