Make a Difference.

"I cannot preach like Martin Luther King, Jr. or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou, but I care and am willing to serve.”

--Marian Wright Edelman

Volunteering in the U.S.

• 61 million Americans volunteer regularly

• 12.9 billion hours were volunteered in the

U.S. in 2006

• On average, on any given day, there are

15 million Americans volunteering

• Each year, the US benefits from the

equivalent of $239 billion dollars of unpaid staff time through volunteering

Source: The Nonprofit Almanac 2008

Volunteering in Kansas

• 36.2% of adults volunteer in Kansas (we rank #8 among all 50 states and Washington D.C.)

• 44.7 volunteer hours per resident(we rank #9 among all 50 states and Washington D.C.)

Kansas Volunteering by Age Group

31.0%40.9%4835-44

22.9%30.0%4025-34

18.1%20.7%*20-24

Nat’l RateState RateMedian HrsAge

Source: Volunteering In America, Corporation for National & Community Service 2008

Volunteers = Engaged Citizens.

Citizen engagement is more critical than ever as both a cornerstone of our democracy and as an essential resource

for solving some of our nation's most

pressing issues.

You can benefit, too.

Successful volunteer engagement is a mutually beneficial relationship, not just a free for all for the organization to achieve its needs.

Volunteering is a two-way street.

Here are a few things you can gain when you give your time and yourself:

• connect with your community• share your skills and gain new ones• develop self esteem and self-confidence• meet new people from all walks of life• enhance your resume and make important networking contacts

• promote a worthwhile activity• feel needed and valued• experience something new

Source: Corporation for National and Community Service: http://www.nationalservice.gov/

Overcoming Barriers to Volunteering

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. We can do no great things, only small things with great love.

--Mother Teresa

BARRIER #1:

I don’t have enough time to volunteer.

BARRIER #2:

I don’t have the “skills”to volunteer.

BARRIER #3:

I don’t feel like I am making a difference.

BARRIER #4:

I don’t think my workplace supports volunteering.

Resources

The Volunteer Involvement Framework

CONNECTION TO SERVICE

TIME FOR SERVICE

Affiliation Focus Skill Focus

Short-term,

Episodic

Long-term,

Ongoing

Examples of Service:

• Corporate days of service w/ work teams

• Weekend house-build by a local service club

• Park clean-up event or trail maintenance

• Walkers, bikers, runners for annual fundraiser

Examples of Service:

• A one-time audit of an organization’s finances by a professional accountant

• A sports club teaching a youth group a particular skill and hosting a youth event

• A student completing a degree requirement

• A chef preparing a meal for a fundraiser

Examples of Service:

• Youth mentor

• Troop leader

• Sunday School teacher

• Environmental Sustainability advocate

• Hospice visitor

• Park host or docent

Examples of Service:

• Pro bono legal counsel

• No-cost medical service by a physician, EMT, nurse, counselor, etc.

• Volunteer fire fighter

• Loaned executive

• Board member

Source: RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service, The Volunteer Involvement Framework™

Resources

United We Serve, a national clearinghouse of volunteer opportunities and provides toolkits for volunteers interested in developing their own projects

http://www.serve.gov/

HandsOn Network, inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that changes the world. Searchable database of volunteer opportunities and great resources for developing volunteer leadership.

http://www.handsonnetwork.org/

Resources

United Way, an organization that often serves as a convener of local non-profits in a community and typically has a pulse on available opportunities.

Visit the national United Way website and type in your zip code in the top right corner to find your local organization.

http://www.liveunited.org/

Resources – KS Volunteer Centers

The Volunteer Center of Reno County

Davis Hall-Hutchinson Community College815 North Walnut

Hutchinson, KS 67501Debbie Berndsen, Director

Phone: (620) 665-4960Fax: (620) 665-4965

Email: berndsend@hutchcc.eduwww.hutchcc.edu/volunteer

Volunteer Center, ECKAN

1320 South Ash StreetOttawa, KS 66067

Lisa Rivers, Vol. Center DirectorPhone: (785) 242-7450

Fax: (785) 242-0305Email: lrivers@eckan.org

www.eckan.org

Roger Hill Volunteer Center

United Way of Douglas County2518 Ridge Court, Room 200

Lawrence, KS 66046Phone: (785) 865-5030

Fax: (785) 843-6752Email info@rhvc.org

www.rhvc.org

United Way of Wyandotte County

Volunteer Center

434 Minnesota AvenuePO Box 17-1042

Kansas City, KS 66101Diane Hentges, Director

Phone: (913) 371-3674 x 308Fax: (913) 371-2718

Email: dhentges@unitedway-wyco.orgwww.unitedway-wyco.org

RENO COUNTY

FRANKLIN COUNTY

DOUGLAS COUNTY

WYANDOTTE COUNTY

Resources – KS Volunteer Centers

The Volunteer Connection

239 North Santa FeSalina, KS 67401Nancy Klostermeyer, DirectorPhone: (785) 823-3128Fax: (785) 823-3819Email: exec@vcnck.orgwww.salhelp.org/volunteerconnection/main.htm

United Way of Greater Topeka Volunteer Center

1315 SW ArrowheadTopeka, KS 66604Barbara Lundquist, DirectorPhone: (785) 228-5113Fax: (785) 273-2467Email: Barbara.Lundquist@unitedwaytopeka.org www.unitedwaytopeka.orgwww.volunteersolutions.org/uwgt

United Way of the Plains Volunteer Center

245 North WaterWichita, KS 67202Mark Stump, DirectorPhone: (316) 267-0202Fax: (316) 267-0937Email: volcenter@unitedwayplains.orgwww.unitedwayplains.org/volunteer_center.htm

K-State Volunteer Center of Manhattan

Lynda Bachelor, Coordinator2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 125KSU Foundation CenterManhattan, Kansas 66502Phone: (785)-532-7607Fax: (785)-532-0671bachelor@ksu.eduwww.k-state.edu/leadership

SALINE COUNTY

SHAWNEE COUNTY

SEDGWICK COUNTY

RILEY COUNTY

Resources

Kansas Volunteer Commission, established in 1993, KVC serves to promote and develop volunteerism throughout Kansas by providing resources to local service organizations as well as individuals.

If you’re interested in any of the national service programs - AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA, AmeriCorps NCCC, or Learn and Serve – KVC is a great resource. Also administers quarterly Governor’s Points of Light Award to recognize outstanding volunteers in Kansas.http://www.kanserve.org

Resources

Kansas Mentors, a statewide mentoring partnership of over 175 local mentoring programs. The program is committed to ensuring every young Kansan has access to a caring and quality mentor.

Interested volunteers can search a database of local programs, also has great resources for those wanting to learn more about mentoring or mentors who want to strengthen their skills.

http://www.KansasMentors.org

Contact Information

Ella Todd, DirectorKansas Mentors1000 SW Jackson, Suite 540Topeka, KS 66612

(785) 296-8873etodd@kdheks.gov

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