April is National Volunteer Month—one of our absolute favorite months of the year! ?
In our many years at Connections to Success, we worked with SO MANY wonderful volunteers.
The fabric of our Culture was shaped by our team, those we serve, and - of course - our volunteers! We worked tirelessly to strengthen the connection our volunteers had with those we served because at the end of the day...
Volunteers are the heart of every nonprofit ??
With them, it made it possible to make our mission - providing hope, resources, and a plan to people living in difficult situations to become economically independent - a reality.
Volunteers donate their time to help those you serve. They champion your values. They passionately spread your message like wildfire to other prospective donors and volunteers.
That's why we celebrate them every day of the year... but especially this month!
There are so many ways to celebrate your volunteers? Here are a few of our favorites:
- Host an appreciation event ? From breakfast to lunch to an awards ceremony, holding an event in their honor will show your volunteers you care. Think about how you can make the event unique; could you give out fun awards, or have a special message to your volunteers from those you serve?
- Give a small token of appreciation ? Personalized notes, phone calls, or small gifts are all great ways to thank your volunteers. This is also a great opportunity to partner with a local business! Imagine if you asked your local coffee shop to donate coffee vouchers to your volunteers - this would drive traffic to their shop and give them great exposure, while also helping you show your volunteers you appreciate them!
- Listen to them ? Your volunteers have their boots on the ground every day and have a lot of thoughts to share. Send a survey asking them about their experience and how it could be improved - and take their feedback to heart! Make changes to your program that will help make it easier for your volunteers to give their time.
- Quantify their impact - and share it ? How many hours have your volunteers spent volunteering this year? What impact have those hours had on your mission and those you serve? Your volunteers give their time because they're passionate about your cause; they want to hear how they have made a difference!
- Create connection opportunities ? Your volunteers want to connect not only with those you serve but with each other! Creating a community of volunteers strengthens their ties to your organization and gives them even more connection points with your nonprofit. From volunteer book clubs to Facebook groups to share stories and best practices, there are so many ways to build those connections!
