"HUNGRY, ANYTHING HELPS"

Cardboard signs abound on many corners in Portland, Oregon. And behind them are invisible people. Some profit handsomely, some take turns working shifts, and many are exploited.  Handing people money rarely solves a problem. The best way to help is to financially support local pantries, shelters, and churches that are set up to serve the public or volunteer your time.

This is an update on consulting work with a church in S.E. Portland. Their initial goal was to launch a community pantry in a diverse neighborhood with higher than average food insecurity.

After nearly a year of probono work, it has been well worth the small investment of time.

The pantry team has doubled in size, and added several community partners. The pantry served 12 families in January. Growth has steadily increased and in the month of September, the pantry served 73 families.

This group is mirroring Jesus's words to feed the hungry. Hunger is what happens when a person doesn't have enough to eat. And it begins to impact a child in school, or a parent at work.

Food insecurity refers to a long list of problems that contribute to hunger-job loss, no high school diploma, loss of housing, no affordable child care and more.

Addressing food insecurity requires building relationships, identifying needs, assessing readiness, community partnerships, financial resources and a huge core of trained volunteers. 

Pantries offer emergency assistance, and give families time to improve their financial circumstances to prevent food insecurity as a way of life.

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Bikes Friendly Workplaces

Bike Safety and etiquette are hot topics in western Oregon. There is easy access to bike shops in urban areas. Recently we visited a volunteer led, fee-based bicycle repair shop where novelist and experienced cyclists can stop in for a quick fix. Bicycle mechanics are available to provide information and guidance. Now let's put this in the context of a small business or nonprofit setting. What would happen if employees could come together in the work place before or after their shift, or during their lunch hour to maintain their bicycle? All it takes is a space the size of a single garage, a couple bike stands, tool to work on wheels, and a little shelf space, a tool library and resource guides. On-site resources promote a healthier life style, dialogue to use cycling in fundraising efforts, team building through cycling, and community outreach. Businesses and nonprofits can help be creating safe zones for employees to secure their bikes and associated equipment. Now lets extend that question to other forms of transportation. Employers can create a postive helping environment by providing access to resources for users of electric wheel chairs and motorized scooters. Wheel chair races and wheel chair basketball afford persons with handicaps to laugh, play, become role models and be viewed as differently abled. Support resources may include staffing the space with volunteers who are trained in repair and providing access to tools. A disabled person may or may not be able to assist, however they can certainly gain knowlege and become aware of maintenence needs, preventive measures and can instruct others on how to help if necessary.

 

Cash In On Volunteer Hours

Is your organization tracking volunteer time? If not, it would be wise to begin now. Volunteer time may be used in some instances to help obtain a grant. Second, keep track of how many people your organization serves. If your organization serves special populations or people from more than one geographic area keep on counting. It may help you obtain a grant. Review our prior post on Grant Readiness.

Volunteer: Raising the Bar

Volunteers: Raising the Bar
This unique workshop provides a survey of key topics essential to leverage and retain volunteers. Volunteers have many options. It is one thing to train volunteers, it is another to integrate them into a cohesive plan to move the organization forward and keep them happy. In this workshop attendees will learn how to:
 

• Design a Plan for Success
• Manage Risk
• Write Volunteer Job Descriptions
• Create a Visual Layout to Quickly Communicate Choices, Hierarcy and Chain of Command
• Recruit New Talent With a Focus on Quality
• Train Supervisors in Evaluation and Improvement Techniques
• Communicate the Importance of  Chain of Command
• Orient New Volunteers and Match Them to Volunteer Positions
• Track Volunteer Hours

 

Volunteer Retention

In part two of this workshop, attendees will learn how to:

 

• Understand Motivation
• Recognize Burnout
• Identify How to Determine if Volunteers are Fit for a Particular Service or Recognize Unmet Needs
• Tap into Creativity
• Development and Recognize Volunteers
• Ensure Volunteer Satisfaction