Posted January 28th, 2009 by admin
Posted by Neva Geisler, Director, Volunteer Engagement
United Way was contacted on Christmas Eve day by the Idaho for Obama folks who were looking to create an unprecedented participatory inauguration. They wanted to capture the enthusiasm surrounding the historic event and direct it into service to the community. So the Treasure Valley, along with thousands of other communities, got busy directing people’s good will and excitement into a massive volunteer workforce that would go to work improving things right in our own neighborhoods.
United Way is uniquely qualified to pull off such an event; we have fantastic partnerships with dozens of non-profit agencies, businesses, and civic organizations. We also have the technology to organize, manage and promote the event through the Volunteer Center website. But still. We were shooting for projects for hundreds of volunteers with less than two weeks to plan them. It seemed like a Volunteer Impossible assignment.
But you know what happened? Ten different agencies throughout the Treasure Valley leapt up to the plate and pulled together 14 different projects that would take place on Martin Luther King Day, the day before the inauguration. And so, with just two weeks to organize, these agencies found themselves host to more than 250 volunteers who sorted food donations, painted buildings, performed maintenance at facilities, spent time with Veterans and donated blood. And the best part? About 90 percent of these volunteers were first timers. And that’s awesome.
Posted December 2nd, 2008 by admin
Posted by Neva Geisler, Director, Volunteer Engagement
Holiday business is booming in the non-profit sector. Agencies are working seven days a week in a flurry of need, generosity, food boxes, coats, cots and cookies.
It’s a good time of year to be employed in this field. It keeps you honest, humble, thankful. The human condition is played out so visibly this time of year–hope, care, love, suffering, need–at every turn there’s something that reminds you that life can be simultaneously unpredictable, tragic and glorious.
In a time of such economic insecurity, it’s no surprise that need is up dramatically. The Salvation Army gave away a record 204 food boxes last week, with 30 percent of them going to people accessing services for the first time. The Boise Rescue Mission tells us that the line for dinner goes out the dining room and down the hall. At their City Light Shelter for women and children, they are providing emergency housing for two families who recently lost their house after the primary wage earner was laid off. In the last month they’ve provided emergency housing services to three infants, one of them just a few days old.
Times are tough, but people are tougher. This year I have seen such incredible examples of people who faced unexpected tragedy and hardships who, with the help of others, are moving forward and into a better lot in life.
Which is why I feel so lucky every time the phone rings. Nine times out of ten the person on the line is calling to help. Often they are looking for a volunteer opportunity their whole family can do together. In the last six weeks alone I have set up group volunteer projects at the Idaho State Veteran’s Home, Idaho Botanical Gardens, Boise Samaritan Village, Boys and Girls Club, Life’s Kitchen, Ronald McDonald House, Idaho FoodBank, Taft Elementary, Boise Rescue Mission and Agency for New Americans. Volunteers are everywhere, doing just about anything asked of them. It is a remarkable display of the caring power of our community.
So this holiday season, a season that is also overshadowed by economic insecurity, consider an investment in service. Ring a bell, serve a meal, knit a scarf, adopt a family, (make a donation to United Way!) and see if you don’t feel about 100 percent better about the world. Celebrate the season with service and lift your spirits.
Get started here!
Posted September 16th, 2008 by admin
Post by Tom Old, Owner, Alta Vista Consulting and Member, United Way Board of Directors, Volunteer Engagement Chair
What are you doing when you grow up? Have you ever heard those words? I have, several times in my life. I remember those words in high school then as I finished college, after my military service and several times in my work. When I left a major electronic company three years ago – I again heard those words.
As I started the second-half of my work career, I took a new look at what was important and what did I want to do when I grow up? A few years ago I was reading a magazine from Trout Unlimited and I noticed an advertisement about giving back:
“We make a living what we get …We make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill
So what does this mean to me? For me, I have found more satisfaction from giving back to my community and family. I have found new friends and rewards that are thank-you smiles than I saw in my corporate life. There are many needs in this valley and state that need not only your financial support; they also need your time and talent! If you would like some help in finding one of these opportunities, the volunteer center can help you find one!
I have found my life more rewarding by giving back!
What would make your life more rewarding?
PS: I have also found it is more fun to go fishing that to read the magazines.
Posted August 29th, 2008 by admin
Posted by Neva Geisler, Director, Volunteer Engagement
More than 1200 people showed up to support the community over a plate of flapjacks at yesterday’s campaign kickoff breakfast–doubling last year’s attendance.
This was a first time event for United Way. In the past, we’ve done your basic big event breakfast, $30 tickets, reserved tables, a program of the coming year. But that kind of event never quite felt consistent with UW’s broad community focus. Anybody can give or volunteer with UW, and anybody might be a beneficiary of a UW program, so it seemed like we should kick off our campaign with an event that anybody could come to. And thanks to some great sponsors: Simplot, Albertson’s/Supervalu, KTVB, we were able to throw the kind of party that reflects how we feel about this year’s campaign and the work ahead of us–a celebration OF community and FOR the community where everyone could be a part of it. The fact that our numbers doubled makes us feel like we really got it right.
Check out our Celebrity Pancake Flippers!
Governor and Mrs. Otter Flipping Flapjacks for United Way
Posted August 19th, 2008 by admin
By Betty Sims, United Way Impact Council Member
I retired from Micron Technology several years ago and began casting about for an interesting and meaningful volunteer activity. While my husband and I had both been United Way contributors during our work lives, the organization dropped off the radar screen when we retired, and I simply followed up on an item in the newspaper about their need for volunteers.
In short order I was introduced to the staff, the mission and their style of doing business and was immediately impressed with the quality of professionalism and commitment of the staff, but of equal importance their ability to live “frugally”. I learned a critical piece of information: their administrative costs are covered by separate donations, so that every dollar contributed during their annual campaign goes directly to agencies and people who need it. This looked like an organization I wanted to give time and money to.
I became part of the team of volunteers whose task is to visit the agencies which have applied for funds, sort through all of the requests and finally recommend how campaign contributions are to be distributed. Now I began to see the hard part – not enough money for all the worthwhile requests. Once again, I was impressed with the leadership of United Way’s staff, committed to helping those in crisis, but ultimately working with the community to find lasting solutions.
