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- Volunteer San Diego Staff
The Arc of San Diego North Shores Vocational Center is a leading provider of services for people with disabilities. This year we're going to finish the planter boxes that were left unfinished by some good-hearted volunteers. Finishing these planter boxes will provide a hands-on way for people with disabilities to learn about the importance of nutrition and to develop their self-help skills. Read more about project details! Sign up to volunteer today!
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| Chris and Diana |
If you're artistic, love paint, or just want to help out at a school that really needs it, we want you to volunteer! Rowan Elementary is painting a mural with the theme of "character building." The school hopes the mural's central location will help educate its students about the importance of key character traits, like respect, kindness, determination and more! The mural will also help beautify the school and make it a better and more fun place for students to learn! Register today.
It is somewhat overwhelming to look back at everything I’ve learned during my AmeriCorps year. Aside from picking up enough acronyms to fill a word-of-the-day desk calendar, I gained experience in writing press releases, recruiting and training volunteers, and working with governmental and non-governmental organizations in the disaster arena. I developed a social media plan and documented processes for Emergency Volunteer Centers. I have been given the chance to improve my public speaking skills and represent the program and organization.
I appreciate the opportunities Volunteer San Diego has given me as well as all the help and support I have received from staff, Disaster Cadre volunteers, and fellow AmeriCorps members. It has been an honor and pleasure to work with such an innovative, energetic, and motivated group of people!
This is my second year, well spent, with AmeriCorps VISTA. I began my work in Iowa in response to the historic floods of 2008. Working for AmeriCorps has been the most rewarding work I had ever done in my life, so I decided to continue in service of my country. AmeriCorps VISTA gave me the tools and the chance to go to San Diego and do meaningful work for Volunteer San Diego. In turn Volunteer San Diego has enabled me to develop my professional skills and provide me with a firm foundation in San Diego, which I am proud to call my new home. I am excited to continue in service to my new community! Also, no offense to my hometown, but I love this land without snow!
As my term of AmeriCorps service comes to a close, I have many reasons to be grateful for the experience of working at Volunteer San Diego. As a previous office volunteer for Volunteer San Diego and Serve-a-thon Committee Member, I thought I knew a lot about how much work the staff handled and how the organization was run. Once I became part of the staff, I realized how much I had not been aware of and how motivated the staff is on a daily basis to accomplish all that is humanly possible to make this the best organization it can be.
My position as Volunteer Relations Coordinator was a challenge in that I was walking on some new territory for the organization, combined with a huge amount of new territory for myself. In my assignment of onboarding New Flex Team Leaders and Internal Volunteers, I was the instrument for implementing newly created systems while formalizing all pertinent documentation. Thank you Volunteer San Diego for guiding, encouraging, and helping me stretch in ways I had not imagined possible!
"If you had asked me last year what I hoped to accomplish during my term as an AmeriCorps VISTA at Volunteer San Diego, I would have answered in terms of small goals. I initially hoped to improve my public speaking skills and gain experience in the San Diego nonprofit community. I achieved these goals and more. I helped implement an orientation for community organizations, collaborated with community members to improve volunteer programs, and gained confidence as a nonprofit professional. I am completing my term with the self-assurance that my hard work has made a meaningful difference at Volunteer San Diego, and in the greater community. I am incredibly grateful for all of the wonderful opportunities that AmeriCorps and Volunteer San Diego have given me in this life-changing year."
Unfortunately, Volunteer San Diego's website and email system have been down since Sunday. We have been working all morning to resolve this issue and hope to have it fixed as quickly as possible. If you have sent us anything urgent via email, please note that we have not received it. If you need to reach us, you can do so by calling us at 858-300-3280.
Thank you for your patience.
As a volunteer I always wondered what went on behind the scenes. My curiosity first led me to become a Team Leader for the Flexible Volunteer Program with Volunteer San Diego. My particular project was a piece of cake. There were three other team leaders if I ever needed someone to cover, the project had already been running for ten years so there was already a smooth line of communication with the library, and there were a myriad of "regulars" who attended the project.
Fast forward and I am signing up to be a Site Captain for Serve-a-thon 2009. This should be just like being a Team Leader, right? Wrong. All of these projects are quite literally just "ideas-written-on-paper" until you bring them to life. It's all you. Everything from contacting the site where you'll be volunteering, to getting the supplies that you'll be using, to keeping contact with the volunteers you'll be leading, to running the show on the day of. After learning all of this, my expectations flew out the window.
I attended my first training to get a better hold on what I needed to do. When I arrived, everything was so overwhelming. I was already off to a bit of a late start because I had missed a couple trainings. The Site Captains there all seemed unfazed by the daunting tasks ahead of them. It was intimidating to sit and listen to all the progress they had already made. Then, I realized what all these Site Captains already knew. I understood why they didn't seemed worried: It isn't all you. You are not alone. The staff at VSD is there for a reason. Between trainings and emails there was always someone around to answer questions.
Fast forward through a few more trainings and the project is finally here. My project went off with a few bumps here and there, but overall, it was a huge success. KUSI even came out to film us at one point. I would later find out that my fellow Site Captains had similar experiences and that all of Serve-a-thon was going great. It felt good to be a part of something that was making such a huge impact.
So that was my story from last year. I was scared, I had no idea what to expect, and I had a late start to top it all off. A year later I am signed up to do it all over again. This time around it looks like it will be even easier to ask questions and get support. Hopefully my story can provide hope for those wondering if they can do it; a year ago I wasn't sure that I could. With a positive attitude and a little help from VSD, I discovered that I had a little captain in me.
Site Captains are still needed for Volunteer San Diego's Serve-a-thon 2010. If you are motivated, have (or want to gain) great leadership skills, have a desire to give back to the community, can inspire people and want to have some fun...then Volunteer San Diego is looking for you! For more information, click here.
Andrew Tran is a Serve-a-thon Site Captain and Flex Team Leader for Volunteer San Diego. He also has his own blog, Ramblings of Andrew Tran.
Recent research is confirming what we’ve often witnessed at Volunteer San Diego: organizations that engage volunteers well are more effective than those that do not. Earlier this year, I had the chance to hear preliminary findings of this research from Peter York of the TCC Group. He discovered that “organizational effectiveness is significantly stronger for nonprofits with more than 50 volunteers AND a robust volunteer management model.” He termed these organizations service enterprises.
The paper concludes with a recommendation for the philanthropic and nonprofit sectors to invest in developing service enterprises and to empower intermediary service organizations that support multiple community programs.
As your local intermediary service organization, VSD has long advocated that it is not enough to involve volunteers, it also is critical to engage them well. Yet many organizations haven’t invested in volunteerism. Many do not have staff dedicated to supporting volunteers. Even those that do struggle to adequately prepare the staff member; only 30% of staff with volunteer administration responsibilities have had any training.
It’s one of the reasons that VSD invests in building the capacity of organizations to engage volunteers well through volunteer project management, training, networking, resource sharing, and placement of volunteer infrastructure-building AmeriCorps members.
We are thrilled to learn about this validation of our work and the work of our partner organizations. I look forward to reporting more when I return from our national conference next week.
Thanks for your support of VSD and volunteerism!
Sue Carter
Executive Director
Why 50 Volunteers Make a Difference
Congratulations, Americans! The Corporation for National & Community Service released a report which stated that despite the troubling economic times facing the nation, there has been a surge in volunteerism over the past year. Americans have a collectively generous spirit which has, yet again, shined in times of trouble. Everyone who has selflessly given their time and talents during the past year should hold their head up high with pride. The community as a whole thanks you!
We San Diegan volunteers can especially be proud of ourselves. San Diego's volunteer rate for the past year was 29.3%, beating the national average of 26.8%. This data is consistent with Volunteer San Diego's experience. We helped fill 51,000 positions last year, which is a 45% increase from the previous year! We project a 15% increase in the next year, which means that the volunteer spirit is alive and well in our little corner of the world.
All of you amazing volunteers are making a big difference in the San Diego community and the time you give is truly priceless. The increase in overall volunteerism in this country is a great attribute to you all.
Katie Grzecknik is a volunteer Blogger for Volunteer San Diego.
My mom taught me how to read. She taught me how to roller-skate. And how to make perfect spritz cookies (her secret? keep the dough chilled). She also taught me the value of volunteering.
It happened through Girl Scouts. In 1954, my mom joined a troop in the San Fernando Valley. When I was growing up, she'd tell me stories of her years as a Scout, which included her troop's visits to a boys' orphanage. They'd bring cookies or cupcakes and socialize with the boys.
In 1986, I became a Brownie Girl Scout in Orange County. For the next 12 years, I would learn as much in Scouting as I did in school.
My name is Omar Passons, I am the volunteer President of the Board of Directors for the North Park Community Association (NPCA). The NPCA’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for all who live, work, and visit
In the past twelve months, we have worked with neighbors, local government leaders, and businesses to achieve some important milestones for
In 2009, the NPCA began a long-term effort to help make physical and other improvements to our community’s largest public park, and after more than six months we worked with the School District and the City of
The thing about North Park specifically and volunteering in general is that it is not just about these distinct, measurable achievements. Our community cares about making improvements from within and about living in a place where you know your neighbors, can walk to great shops and restaurants, and where the spirit of giving in service to our neighborhoods really matters. It is that spirit that encouraged two of our neighbors to almost single-handedly repair a run-down street corner. That spirit also convinced one of our neighbors to run an anti-vandalism campaign that protects our businesses and residents with over 20 Key Neighbors. And that same spirit has fostered years of commitment from dozens of locals to improve access for our disabled neighbors, increase walkability, and the highlight the historical character of our neighborhoods. The NPCA is one volunteer organization, but in North Park great volunteer work is also done by the North Park Historical Society, the North Park Planning Committee, the University Heights Community Association, the Altadena Neighborhood Association, the Redwood Neighborhood Watch Group, the Burlingame HOA, the North Park Action Team, and dozens of individuals that I see out on walks picking up trash, passing out flyers, staffing booths, and helping our young people.
Many people don’t know that North Park actually stretches from down around
For two years, I’ve enjoyed the incredible thrill of serving our community through projects arranged by Volunteer San Diego. As a busy husband and father of two little girls, and working full time in life insurance, I simply don’t have a lot of time to donate. That’s where the benefits of working with Volunteer San Diego come in to play, as their service projects are numerous and flexible to boot. Their projects seem to fit into any schedule and any area in which you’re passionate to serve.
Chris Huntley is a volunteer at Country Hills Healthcare and our first featured Guest Blogger Celebrating Volunteer Month. Please visit his blog at http://www.
I like to think of myself as a “Citizen of the World,” not just as an estadounidense. When I moved from the wind-swept plains of Iowa to San Diego, I encountered the World. San Diego is an extremely unique place: it has a bustling port, it hosts fragile, diverse ecosystems, and it is along an international border. All these things make it a fertile place for future “Citizens of the World” and Volunteer San Diego wants to help nurture them. Our College-Rolando Homework Helpers project is looking for Bilingual Spanish-English speakers and French-English speakers, and our newly-minted North Park Homework Helpers project is looking for Bilingual Spanish-English speakers.
If you are bilingual and want to help others with the language and their school work, please attend College-Rolando Homework Helpers or North Park Homework Helpers.
~ Nathan Kieso, Community Organization Liaison, Volunteer San Diego
Even we San Diegans, who live in one of the most temperate year-round climates, need a vacation every now and then. But with ones that involve long car trips or airport hassles, you often return home more exhausted than when you left.
Cruising, where you get onboard and let someone else do the driving - not to mention the cooking and cleaning - is an easy way to see a different part of the world without the worries of maps or supplemental rental car insurance.
Now through April 30, every $100+ that you donate to Volunteer San Diego will enter you in a chance to win a seven-day Holland America cruise for two. The winner will be able to choose any destination in Mexico or the Caribbean. Of course there are a few restrictions, but they're reasonable, and you can read about them here.
Here at Volunteer San Diego, we love sharing stories of our great projects and wonderful volunteers. We also recognize that sometimes the best stories come from those out in the community, those getting involved and making a difference everyday. San Diegans are changing our city for the better everyday, and we want to hear from you! VSD is looking for Guest Bloggers to write up a little something about a recent volunteer experience or project you worked on via VSD.
Are you a "Friend of Cats"? Do you and your family love "Feeding America"? Maybe a "Weed Warrior" not to be messed with? If so, we would love for you to write up a short story reflecting on your volunteer involvement and the impact it has on yourself and your community. No blog experience is necessary, just a willingness to share your experience with the rest of the world. We will be posting the best amateur blogs on our official VSD Blog throughout the upcoming weeks in support of Volunteer Month in April. So get out your virtual pens and get blogging!
For more information and blog submission, please email Rich Easter at reaster@volunteersandiego.org
WitKids, one of our fantastic member organizations, educates, inspires, and empowers kids to make a difference in their school, community, and the world through volunteer work and community service, Whatever It Takes!
WitKids has partnered with the The Dinner Garden, a national organization that fights hunger, for a project in Amici Park in Little Italy. On Saturday, January 30, volunteers spent the day bagging seeds, making pots out of newspaper, and distributing seed packets to families in need. Sixty-four families participated in this spectacular volunteer event.
Several WitKids volunteers shared their experiences:
"My day started off with getting one of the WitKids t-shirts, and thinking that I can do whatever it takes just by packaging seeds. I soon start my day at a table packaging many different seeds, making cards, and planting seeds in a newspaper vase. What I also like is that everything is environmentally safe and everybody there is so friendly. And when it came to the end of the day Ms. Hernholm [the Director and Founder of WitKids] gave an announcement that we did Whatever It Takes and that we the kids are successful when we all work together as one whole, and remember keep on doing," Whatever It Takes."
- Emily W. (age 10)
"I had a good time helping WitKids! I got to have fun and make the world a
better place at the same time. No matter what you do, you are always
someone. I got to bag seeds (broccoli, parsnip, mustard etc.), make pots out of
newspapers to use to grow the seeds in, make cards to make people smile and
I got to meet the designer-girl of the WitKids t-shirt. I had the most fun telling people about WitKids and the seeds at the Farmer's Market in Little Italy. I met so many nice people! There is nothing like WitKids!"
- Brody E. (age 8)
A parent's perspective: "WitKids was a special adventure for our family. Not only was it a 'feel good' day doing something good and 'passing it forward', but the day had extra magic as we got to watch our kids GIVE from the heart and do Whatever It Takes to bring a smile to others we walk on the planet with."
Many thanks to the WitKids volunteers for making such a difference in our local community! Interested in other projects with WitKids? Click here. Want to volunteer with your entire family? Click here for family-friendly projects.
There was an answer for all cultural interests. I found mine at the
Interested in volunteering at a special event? Check out Volunteer San Diego's project calendar. Want to gain experience at a museum? Check out our cultural opportunities - there's something for everyone!
