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!
As you may or may not know, January 7th, 2010 is going to be an eventful day here at Volunteer San Diego. Or should I say, "there" at Volunteer San Diego. After so many years in the same building, we are packing up and moving to a new office down the street. The good news is that our new office is slightly larger than our current one. The problem: It doesn't have access to a meeting space for our occasional evening trainings and meetings. We know there is a solution to this out there, that someone reading this blog has the perfect answer to this little puzzle. You might even have a a board room or other meeting space that you would love to donate. It would have to hold between 25-40 people, and be available outside of the traditional "9-5" timeframe a handful of times in 2010. Not only would you be the superhero of the new office, but your space donation will be tax deductible.
If you can help us with our space problem, know someone else who might be able to help, or have ideas on where we could turn, please email reaster@volunteersandiego.org.
Thanks in advance, and be on the lookout for our new contact information in early January!
Saturday, November 28, was a stormy day across the county. Many Team Leaders had to cancel their outdoor projects due to the weather. However, Velinda Primus and her small group of volunteers persevered at the Therapeutic Horseback Riding project with the Therapeutic Equestrian Activity Center for the Handicapped (TEACH) in Lakeside, showing that rain or shine, VSD Flex Volunteers get the job done!
Here is Velinda's story:
"Although lessons were canceled, we worked in the rain and hail cleaning stalls and digging small trenches to aid with water run-off so the horse stalls would not grow into small ponds. The volunteers went beyond expectations in doing this hard, muddy work with joy. I feel all TEACH students (24) benefited from the work that was done even though we did not work with them directly. Maintaining the health of the horses by the maintenance of the stalls keeps the program running efficiently to serve the students.
The volunteers expressed interest in returning to help during a normal lesson day to enjoy working with the horses and children on a nice sunny day. "
Therapeutic Horseback Riding is one of our many flex projects. We encourage you to sign up for this or any of the flex projects on our calendar. Flexible volunteer projects are posted at the beginning of each month, one month ahead of time. We have just finished posting January's projects. Make an early New Year's resolution and sign up to volunteer!
We have the pleasure of welcoming our two newest AmeriCorps VISTA members. Both have already hit the ground running here at VSD and we are so excited to have them!
Jen Buckley, AmeriCorps VISTA
Service Events Coordinator
I am the new AmeriCorps VISTA Service Events Coordinator and I am very excited to be working with such a great organization. I am originally from Richmond, VA where I lived for the past 6 years. I received my degree in Psychology (minor in Sociology) from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 2008. I was a literacy coach for AmeriCorps State and National program. During this term, I put on a community service project for a lower income neighborhood in Richmond and realized how much I enjoyed setting up events so I thought that I would try out event coordination in my next job to see if this was the career path that I wanted to take. I was ready for work in the Nonprofit sector and I am delighted to have the opportunity here in sunny San Diego.
I love to build bicycles and go hiking/camping with any free time I have. I am brand new to this city so I am always looking for opportunities to join outdoor clubs or find new places to explore.
Rich Easter, AmeriCorps VISTA
Development Coordinator
I am excited to be returning to San Diego in order to help nurture and sustain a culture of volunteerism throughout “America’s Finest City.” Prior to joining the VSD team, I was a Senior Program Specialist for Reading Is Fundamental, Inc. in Washington, D.C. where I managed volunteer-run children’s literacy programs throughout the country. What really drew me to VSD was the importance of its mission and its commitment to making volunteer opportunities meaningful. Outside of the office, I am always in the kitchen coming up with new recipes or at a local venue checking out live music. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from the University of San Diego in Political Science, and look forward to serving a community that has enriched me in so many ways.
We 
volunteers!
'Tis the season to be grateful and all the VSD staff want to give a hearty thanks to you our volunteers! We’re fortunate to get to see community change every day at Volunteer San Diego, but this past year has really knocked our socks off.
We’ve seen more people serving in more ways than ever before. We are so grateful to get to work in partnership with you to make San Diego the best it can be.
A special thanks to….
Flex Team Leaders & Volunteers
Serve-a-thon Site Captains & Volunteers
Corporate Volunteer Teams
Disaster Cadre Members & Reservists
Social Media Team
DOVIA Council
Office Volunteers
Special Project Coaches & Partners
Board & Committee Members
AmeriCorps & AmeriCorps VISTA members
And everyone else who has contributed in official and unofficial capacities.
You inspire us with your good work, smart ideas, and selfless giving. We couldn’t have done it without you.
Warm wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving!
With gratitude for giving us the gift of you,
Sue Carter Executive Director
Thanksgiving is one of the most popular days of the year to volunteer, which means that all meal serving volunteer opportunities are full right now.
So now what?
Perhaps use the time you were hoping to spend volunteering by researching other projects that you might like to do this holiday season. Some of our partners still have openings throughout December. Many of these projects make a great family or group effort.
Better yet, use the time to plan to serve sometime later in the year. Many of our partners are overwhelmed with people wanting to serve on Thanksgiving or Christmas yet have a hard time filling those same volunteer openings in another month. Other organizations don’t have special holiday projects but offer great volunteer experiences. Committing even one day at a later date can go a long way to meeting an important community need.
Or spend the time considering how else you might contribute to an organization. Many nonprofits are facing record demand for their services AND a cut to their funding (including VSD). Cash donations to your favorite charity are always welcome, no matter the amount. You often can make a donation in honor of someone, which makes a unique holiday gift.
If all else fails, consider making your own volunteer project. Who do you know who could use some company this weekend – an elderly neighbor, a military family far from home, a friend with no family in the area? Invite them to your Thanksgiving celebration or offer to help them with a project that needs some attention. Sometimes the smallest gestures mean the most.
Interested in gaining experience in project development and putting more projects on VSD’s calendar? Ever wonder what happens behind the scenes of Volunteer San Diego’s successful Flexible Volunteer Program? Join our Flex Project Development Team! As you know, Flex projects are a vital part of VSD, and we are always looking for new ideas and connections. Volunteers can attend our regular evening project development meetings or work remotely. Our next meeting will be held on Monday, December 7, 2009 at 6 p.m. at the Volunteer San Diego office. Please contact
Looking for a unique gift for the golf lover in your life? Can't get enough golf yourself?
Buy a ticket for the Century Club of San Diego Invitational Tournament running January 25-31 (formerly the Buick Invitational). Tickets are only $17 and are valid for any one day of the event. Proceeds benefit Volunteer San Diego.
To purchase tickets:
Volunteer San Diego! VSD won the first ever Classy Award for the Best Use of Technology by a Charity. Thanks to everyone who voted! And a big thanks and congrats to the staff and volunteers who invest so much time in making our technology efforts award winning.
Volunteer San Diego is moving to a new office in early January. Our new address is
We’re finalizing details including our phone system and office furniture. If you have any leads for free or discounted equipment - or want to help with the move, please email Amy Thoe at athoe@volunteersandiego.org.
Thanks to the
Stay tuned for more details.
Volunteer San Diego received three nominations for the First Annual Classy Awards. We’ve been nominated for best charity, best use of technology, and best individual fundraising effort. Vote now at http://www.stayclassy.org/classy_awards/vote.php.
Life at Volunteer San Diego sometimes feels like Dickens’ opening line…”it was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” So much attention on volunteerism, so many people wanting to help, so much good will in our community.
And yet, it’s not all sunshine and rainbows for the organizations who would transform this good will into improving the community. My colleague,
-Volunteers don’t organize themselves. Someone knowledgeable about the organization needs to screen, match, orient, train, supervise and engage them. Before that happens, someone has to think of how volunteers can help and plan accordingly. Most nonprofits don’t have a dedicated staffer to do this and in cases where they do, nearly 80% of the staff have no volunteer engagement training.
-Long-term capacity building can drain short-term capacity. It’s difficult to invest in the future when it’s a struggle to survive in the present. Staff cutbacks combined with an increased workload mean little energy for this important, but initially time-consuming work.
-Many prospective volunteers never get beyond prospective status. The agencies who might engage them are so busy trying to keep up with their day-to-day activities that no one can respond to the phone calls and best intentions of volunteers. If you’ve ever thought that you could do a project faster and easier by yourself (particularly if the person you are training to do the job may not come back again), you can understand where many nonprofit staff are.
-Volunteerism isn’t free. It takes a staff member to do all the above activities, a database to keep track of people and tasks, computers and phones to respond, and training for staff who have a responsibility to work with volunteers.
Of course, at VSD, we help volunteer programs run better, but we’re not immune to environmental forces ourselves. We had a 45% increase in the number of volunteer positions we filled last year. It costs us $21 to fill a volunteer position, and that’s with significant volunteer time leveraging our staff, sometimes in a 3:1 ratio. When corporations or other groups contact us to manage a volunteer project for them or want a menu of volunteer projects from which to pick, they are sometimes surprised that we charge for this service. Many of our nonprofit partners pay a mere fraction of the cost for our support services. Volunteers pay nothing.
But without VSD, even fewer prospective volunteers could get connected with the organizations that need them, and our nonprofit partners would miss out on the increased human capital available at a time when needs are high.
In response, we’re soon launching a ‘Sponsor a Volunteer’ fundraising and education campaign to help us continue brokering our community’s human capital.
We welcome your donations as always (http://tinyurl.com/oqsksh), and also your thoughts on how to make this campaign successful: doors you can open, feedback on what resonates about our services or messages for you, partners who can advance our efforts. Thanks for your support of volunteerism!
Maxine Choi, departing Team Leader of the English Speaking Club at Mira Mesa Library, tells us about her experiences:
"Working with the English Speaking Club at the Mira Mesa Library is an amazing experience. The project allows you to work closely with members of the community who want to practice or improve their English. Everyone who comes to practice their speaking skills is eager and enthusiastic, and they just love having the opportunity to talk to native speakers of English. I saw how important it was to provide a friendly, non-stressful environment for ESL learners to use their language skills.
For a non-native English speaker, simple things can become frustrating and communication is often difficult. As a team leader for this project, I have seen people who come to the English Speaking Club become more confident in their English and it's a great feeling knowing that you may have helped someone's daily communication become easier, even for simple things like ordering meals or asking for directions. But, beyond that, the most rewarding thing is seeing people in the community come together -- volunteers and ESL learners meeting each other, sharing stories, talking about their experiences and learning about each other. Seeing people reach across cultures and gain an understanding about another person's life experience is both exciting and intensely inspiring."
Thank you, Maxine, for all your hard work! Interested in becoming a Team Leader for this or another flex project? Attend our next Team Leader training on November 17 from 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. Click here to sign up or email Debbie Krakauer at dkraukauer@volunteersandiego.org for more information.
In just three days, 800+ volunteers completed 41 projects. They gave over 3,000 hours of their time supporting 22 community organizations. These projects all focused on poverty-related issues in San Diego County.
What that really means is:
* 9,519 people were impacted by the efforts of the Serve-a-thon volunteers
* 7,565 of those people were fed and/or received food donations
* 1,025 greens were planted
* 42 renovation projects were completed
* 13 nonprofits or community centers were beautified
* 4 community gardens were maintained or created
* And so much more...
See yourself and other volunteers in action by visiting VSD’s Picasa Web Pictures.
A Special Thank You to the Serve-a-thon Sponsors, Committee Members and Site Captains who made this impactful event come together.
If you didn’t receive a Volunteer San Diego Serve-a-thon 2009 T-Shirt at your project, please email events@volunteersandiego.org to arrange to pick-up your t-shirt. (We have mostly XLs and XXLs left.) We also have additional items with the Serve-a-thon logo available in our CafePress Shop.
Save-the-date: Serve-a-thon 2010
Friday, October 8 and Saturday, October 9, 2010
Help us shape this event for next year. What issue should we focus on in 2010? Where are volunteers most needed?
* Economy (Poverty Issues)?
* Education?
* Environment?
* Other...
Vote for the 2010 Focus Issue today!
As Christmas was on its way, everybody at school was excited about vacation that for many meant gathering in a cozy environment, family, nice dinners, presents, and enjoying the outdoors. My mother had come from work and she sat to tell me a story about a necessary splitting of a family because both mother and daughter were sick and had to be hospitalized in different hospitals. I became interested in knowing more about what a child experiences when undergoing treatment in an oncology ward, so I visited the children's hospital and spoke with local staff about Christmas in the unit. One of the things that caught my attention was that everybody seemed to coincide in that kids had to spend many hours by themselves, with no input from others their age. I wanted to bring the festive spirit that was hanging around school to them and let them know that they are not alone. The decision I took was to involve as many students in school as possible to write their wishes and deliver the sharing spirit before winter break. It took days of explaining, making others feel the project as theirs, skipping breaks, meeting with teachers, but all this had no importance when compared to the feedback I got from the staff that interacted with the kids who received the card. It’s nice to think that a small project can make such a difference for a kid.
~ Luz Gozal, Volunteer Youth Blogger
Do you want to make a difference this holiday season? There are many ways you can volunteer. Our projects range from adopting a family in need to singing at the hospital. You can download our holiday guide or search for holiday volunteer opportunities now!
A month ago, I volunteered for the second Taste of Asia event in Balboa Park by the International Cottages. The purpose of this event was to raise money for Lotus Outreach International and International Humanity Foundation. The representatives of various international houses from the park were involved. The event included food tasting, where it was possible to taste all types of Asian food, as well as seeing a well known Korean chef in action that would provide receipts and advice on the culinary art. For those who arrived with kids there was day-long entertainment and dancers dressed in native costumes who performed traditional dances, all in a relaxed, carefree environment suitable to everyone.
As a volunteer, I was assigned to be a Team Manager. That included supervising other volunteers and seeing that their assignments were going as planned. What I enjoyed the most was the opportunity to interact with natives from other cultures, especially from Thailand, Korea, Japan and China. Some of them had recently arrived to the United States. A few see volunteering as a natural way of sharing cultural experiences in a new country and still remain within their culture. .BMP)
The event planners took very good care of their volunteers and was shown in the way they kept tracked of them before, during, and after the event. They provided free (and delicious) lunch. I was also pleasantly surprised to receive an invitation to attend a recognition event for all volunteers who donated their time and effort.
If you are thinking about donating your time for a good cause, don’t miss this opportunity next year. I’ll meet you there!
~ Luz Gozal, Youth Volunteer Blogger
Do you have great story of a volunteer experience to share? Be a Blogger for Volunteer San Diego! Want to lead a team of volunteers? Become a Flex Team Leader!
If you have a TV and an interest in volunteerism, you've surely noticed recent advertisements and programming tie-ins to something called Iparticipate. The Entertainment Industry Foundation was created 67 years ago and has raised millions of dollars of money for a number of societal causes, including this big campaign to promote volunteering. All week long you'll see TV shows and celebrities shining a light on the importance of community service. The Iparticipate website will direct people to volunteer opportunities and Volunteer San Diego. You may already be a VSD volunteer, or perhaps you are new to community service, either way you should answer the call that the entertainment industry is putting out and sign up for a volunteer project today!
We at VSD have had a busy autumn so far! October began with our annual event Serve-a-thon that focused on poverty in San Diego County. With 42 projects over the weekend at a variety of different organizations on October 2-4, volunteers made a significant impact at organizations throughout San Diego County.
Connie Castro, Serve-a-thon Site Captain, tells us about her project:
“The Brighten a Bag for the Hungry project at Feeding America San Diego on Friday, October 2, gathered dozens of volunteers to help alleviate hunger in San Diego. Teams from Hewlett Packard, as well as individuals and families, all volunteered their time and effort for this worthy cause. Because of their efforts, in about two hours, 1650 pounds of rice were made available to the public, thirteen giant totes were washed and cleaned, overhead signs were made and lastly, 350 bags were decorated. Volunteers opted to bring their own decorating supplies to the event and everyone who decorated took pride in their work in decorating the bags. These bags will brighten a hungry child's day!” 
Check out the rest of our photo album. We would like to take this moment to thank everyone who made this spectacular event possible!
Working at Volunteer San Diego (VSD) to aid people in finding satisfying volunteer opportunities has opened my eyes to the simple ways one person can help another to have a meaningful experience. The Referral Program that our organization offers has been incredibly satisfying. Often an eager prospective volunteer will call with a specific cause in mind that speaks to them individually. Homelessness, tutoring or a myriad of other issues that effect humanity and more immediately San Diego County, attracts attention from many caring people from all walks of life. Often a person who wants to volunteer but who is unsure of what kind of venue will suit them will call needing assistance with their philanthropic investigations. In this capacity, I offer direction and instruction on searching our website, a website that has a page to conduct detailed searches according to zip code, topic and other criteria.
In addition, the court system connects us with many people who need to complete mandatory hours of service in accordance with the kind of violation committed. Prospective volunteers generally feel relieved when they realize I am here to assist them in finding options and opening doors. Often, the mandatory hours people serve help them to develop and deepen their interests in things that touch many lives. Who knew that a situation ordered by a legal entity could develop into something that heals the spirit and enriches the lives of so many?
Adrianne Burleigh, former Citizen Action AmeriCorps Volunteer Outreach Coordinator
Volunteer San Diego
If you want to help connect people to volunteer opportunities, please click here to read more about being a Volunteer Referral Specialist.
