GULF SHORES, Ala. — Bill Martin recites a passage from the Bible when asked why he volunteers. “Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, give drink to those who are thirsty, visit those who are in prison, take care of those who are sick and welcome strangers.”

Religion. Camaraderie. Pleasure. Goodwill.

There are a lot of reasons that power someone to volunteer their lives to help someone else.

Charitable couple Bill and Suzan Martin spend their days lending a hand at Christian Service Center.

The two are at the center five days a week to manage the intake for the food pantry and are always in good spirits.

When asked why they unselfishly give their time, Suzan Martin quickly answers, “Because we are supposed to.”

It is that drive that gives them the energy to tirelessly serve the needy public.

What Bill Martin calls applied Christianity is the result of his work.

“I need more than sitting in a pew and getting instructions,” he said. “Until I have applied those rules that I’ve read I’m not doing what I was told to do.”

“Anybody can do it,” Suzan Martin said, explaining they are no saints. “You just have to show up.”

Can anybody do it?

It takes a special person to dedicate and invest time in a stranger, said Christian Service Center volunteer coordinator Sandy Fisher.

“They have to have compassion, be open, be calm and not judge those who come for help,” Fisher said. “They really just have to be good people and they need to believe in the mission of the organization.”

Fisher said there are plenty of tasks to be done, and a lot of people don’t volunteer because they don’t know what to do.

While there are obvious jobs, like putting in hours at a shelter, many people can help from home. Filing paperwork, balancing accounts, writing newsletters and picking up donations are all chores that need to be done.

Fisher said any volunteers’ skills will be utilized and welcomed.

“We would love to put them to work,” she said. She explained that a volunteer place like Christian Service Center requires the same workforce of a multifaceted business.

From bagging groceries to counseling clients, there is a job for everyone.

While it is important to give during the holidays, Fisher stressed the public isn’t needy just through the holiday season and volunteers are needed through the year.

Bill Martin said helping people is two-fold and sees such a benefit in lending a hand.

“It is fun; it’s something to look forward to,” he said. “You know at the end of the day you’ve done something useful with your life.”