LIVE UNITED Y’All!

To volunteer is to freely give of your time to others, a pretty obvious concept to grasp. I find it hard to come up with an example of when that statement isn’t, at least in part, true. Even if you are volunteering because you “have-to” or if you are volunteering because you think it looks good on your resume, you can’t avoid the fact that you are sharing (for free!) your time and your talent.

Of course, most of the people I come in contact with in my role as the Volunteer Engagement Center director don’t fall into the categories of “have-tos” or “resume-builders”. The volunteers I know give of their time and talent for more reasons than I can account for in this very short blog. Some of the reasons why they are called to volunteer are related to their passion, gratefulness, good feelings they get when they are helping, and their desire to be a part of positive change. 

Hurray for them, I say. Bravo!  However, I have one beef with these benevolent beings, these angels among us: they don’t like to brag about themselves or take credit for the work they do…ever.

Oh, I can understand, it can be hard to talk about yourself, and your friends might get really annoyed when you go on and on about how wonderful you are, but you have got to get OVER it.  Saying things like: “I don’t do it for the notoriety or the attention” or “I don’t want a special acknowledgement for my efforts” are understandably noble postures, and are much more preferable to saying “I am so awesome, they ought to erect a statue in my honor”. You get the point.

All I am saying is, if you don’t brag a little or share a story or two about the time you provide as a volunteer, how are you going convince non-volunteers to volunteer? Telling stories about your volunteering can be compelling, and down right entertaining. It may be just the right motivation someone needs to get out there and start volunteering on their own.

Next time, I will be sharing some FlipVideo footage of some volunteer stories. In the meantime, here is a link to some great volunteer stories: http://www.networkforgood.org/volunteer/volunteerstories.aspx

Advocacy, General, Giving, Volunteering recruitment, stories

Advocacy, General Live United, stories, success story

I don’t know about any one else, but I can’t wait for the next Harry Potter movie. I love the story and have read all the books. I continue to be impressed by the longevity of the series, its appeal to both adults and children, and the magical world of imagination it inspires.

At Metro United Way, we talk a lot about stories. We tell stories to donors and volunteers  in order to make a personal connection to the time and money they invest in our mission. We practice telling stories that are hopefully memorable, concrete, emotional and simple. We want our stories to show how we together make a difference in the lives of individuals in our community. We want to put a face to the numbers and overwhelming amounts of information available on the work we do.

What we find is that often, if we dig a bit, we all have stories. We have stories of volunteering with scouting, soup kitchens, church picnics, neighborhood clean ups and community organizations. We have stories of helping and being helped. We know people who have used the services and programs made possible through donations to Metro United Way.

I find it liberating to know the stories and share stories about a cousin who has been helped many times by a safe blood supply courtesy of the American Red Cross, an uncle who found help at JADAC, a mother who needed shelter and found a new life at the Salvation Army, or my grandmother, the consummate Samaritan, delivering food to families in need through St. Vincent de Paul.

What is your story? We are all interconnected. I know you can also inspire others to give, advocate and volunteer by telling your story.

Advocacy, General, Giving, Volunteering stories, storytelling