Leading Through Crisis: Lessons Learned from Scaling a Volunteer Operation.

I recently had the honor of receiving the highest award from the Governor of the State of North Carolina for my work in Human and Health Services. This recognition was a testament to the unwavering dedication and support of an incredible team of volunteers who worked with me. What began as a small endeavor to provide meals for school children quickly grew into a remarkable undertaking that surpassed all expectations.

In the early days of the Covid-19 pandemic, when schools closed their doors, a pressing need arose to ensure that these vulnerable children had access to nutritious meals. However, as the pandemic persisted and industries shuttered, the demand for food extended beyond the classroom. Our initial estimations of the number of meals required and the duration of our efforts were swiftly proven inadequate. Week after week, more sites reached out for support, including Rescue Centers, Welfare Centers, Churches, and even Women's Prison Systems, as the desperation for sustenance grew.

The magnitude of our impact grew exponentially, and we found ourselves delivering over 250,000 hot meals to those in need. This achievement would not have been possible without the collective efforts and resilience of our passionate team. Their unwavering commitment, along with the expanding scope of our mission, propelled us forward.

When I began, I had only two other individuals. HSNC and the community firmly and enthusiastically supported us, and I received numerous offers of help. While I could utilize some volunteers for delivering to new sites, I also had to turn down many offers. Growing our operations during desperate times to meet the demand was a challenging endeavor. But I could see that it was very much essential for the success of our mission because of these primary reasons,

1.??????Our kitchen resources were restricting the number of workers simultaneously working in the space.

2.??????Teammates who were committed were highly motivated and passionate for the cause. They were taking risks of coming out of homes, if they felt that their contributions were not significant enough, it could have demotivated them. ?

3.??????The satisfaction factor was extremely high. They had seen the long queues waiting for our meal delivery at the distribution sites. They knew the acute demand for what they were doing and its significance.

Later, after the peak of pandemic was over, we opened up for everyone to join in. We kept the control on making appointments before showing up in the kitchen. That allowed us to accommodate many groups who wanted to volunteer. As most of the non-profit organizations know, most of the volunteering spirit is emotional and does not last the test of reality. Consistency is rare and taking responsibility is lacking. By taking prior appointments they were making firm commitment. ?Also, after participation, they got the same “feel-good” factor of making real contribution. They wanted to come again and appreciated the work we were doing. They spread the word enthusiastically of their own experience in the program. And we kept growing. ?

Growth, whether in a social or corporate setting, can be perilous if we fail to understand and appreciate the risks of losing passion and motivation within our team. Many organizations struggle to handle sudden growth, often resulting in the loss of their original spirit and essence. It is crucial to carefully cultivate our teams, nurturing their dedication and aligning their values with the mission. By caring for individuals' emotions, fostering transparency in operations to earn their trust, and demonstrating unwavering commitment to the cause, we can achieve remarkable heights. Even when faced with the difficult decision of rejecting additional help, when it's their own mission, the team will willingly endure any hardship.

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