National Volunteer week has come and gone, but National Volunteer Month is still in full force.
Without volunteers, there would be no nonprofits. They are vital in this line of work, as well as in each and every one of our communities.
Across America, one in three adults volunteer, according to the Corporation for National and Community Service. That’s:
- 77.4 million volunteers
- 6.9 billion hours served
- $167 billion in service
And did you know? Volunteers donate to charity at twice the rate of non-volunteers.
National Volunteer Month is the perfect opportunity to thank your organization’s volunteers for their tremendous efforts. Don’t miss this chance to celebrate your supporters who donate their time.
Here’s how you can show your volunteers some love this April:
SEND A THANK YOU CARD
A handwritten thank you note will never go out of style. It’s a great gesture and a wonderful way to steward your volunteers.
Clear an afternoon to sit down and express your gratitude on paper—if at all possible.
SHARE A VIDEO
Record a short video with smiling staff members or program recipients saying thanks.
At a loss for words? Create a simple handmade sign instead. Use a phrase like, “We love our volunteers!” “You’re the best!” “We appreciate you!” or “We couldn’t do this without you.”
Sign off with someone (an executive director, board member or recipient) saying something like “We appreciate you today—and every day. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for all you do to help us achieve our mission of [state mission here]. Happy National Volunteer Month!”
CELEBRATE WITH THESE SOCIAL IMAGES
Take it to social media. Publicly thank your volunteers with these social images, courtesy of Stelter.
Just click, save and commence celebration:
For Instagram:
For everything else:
PRACTICING WHAT WE PREACH
Stelter gives back. Volunteering runs through our veins here at The Stelter Company. In addition to donating and holding fundraisers, many employees volunteer their time year-around. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them.
Stelter’s Volunteer Time Off (VTO) program enables each employee to receive eight hours of paid time each year to volunteer with a local charity of their choice. In 2018, 589 VTO hours were donated to local charities. A lot of teammates also volunteer outside of office hours.
Countless local organizations are near and dear to our hearts. I wish I could showcase all our employee’s efforts, but here are some highlights:
Hammers & Heels Women Build
Since 2005, the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity and local women have worked together to build 12 houses in our community.
Sixteen Stelter women spent a Saturday helping to make one house a home for a family in need. Together, they volunteered close to a total of 100 hours: helping, learning and building.
Movember
Some brave Stelter men volunteered their faces this past November, myself included.
We teamed up to raise awareness for men’s health and show our support for the Movember Foundation, with the help of our facial hair. Can you discern the “before” and “after” photo?
Stelter Family Philanthropy
Leading by example, President Larry Stelter and CEO Peggy Fisher participate in many philanthropic endeavors each year. Recently, they volunteered with Joshua Christian Academy (JCA), a local school. The pair was spotlighted in JCA’s newsletter:
“JCA 3rd and 6th graders attended the Character Counts Lady Bulldog basketball game at the Knapp Center in Des Moines. This is an emphasis every year by the Drake Athletic Department to pack the gym with the K-8 graders from Des Moines and the surrounding area. The women’s team did not disappoint the fans, defeating Clark College by a wide margin. We were also privileged to perform the National Anthem in sign language before the game. Many thanks to Peggy Fisher and Larry Stelter for providing transportation and lunch at the game!”
Former Executive Vice President Steve Stelter is a 33-year volunteer for the Charles Schwab Challenge, hosted at the Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, TX. He was recently named as a runner-up for the PGA Tour’s Volunteer of the Year Award. The organization recently featured him in a story saying:
“Steve has volunteered as a standard bearer in addition to maintaining his role as assistant chairman of the marshals committee, overseeing 550 volunteers. In the three weeks leading up to the [Colonial] tournament, Steve puts in about 165 volunteer hours – always with a smile on his face and the positive, can-do attitude that earned him membership in the tournament’s exclusive “Pride of the Plaid” organization, a Colonial volunteer Hall of Fame. Only a few non-club members have been honored to be a part of this group. Steve has dedicated his time and passion to the tournament despite more than 19 operations during the past 15 years, including knee and hip replacement and back surgery.”
Steve also volunteers two days each week at Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth, TX. From painting to playing board games to even decorating for the holidays, he loves spending his time with the children at the Child Life Zone.
How do you recognize your volunteers? We’d love to hear more ideas around celebrating such a special group of supporters.