5 Ways to be a More Valuable Volunteer
We are truly living in interesting times, and the impulse to serve your community may be greater than ever. Whether you live in Shawnee, Jackson or Jefferson County, as Kansans we continue to rise above and support one another. With both for-profit and nonprofit organizations facing economic challenges, one thing has become even more valuable: your time.
United Way of Greater Topeka continues to engage with our community through volunteerism, connecting volunteers to needs in our community even as we navigate a new reality of social distancing. In April, TopekaVolunteers.org saw its second-highest number of views—more than 5,000—since we relaunched the platform last year. May promises to be equally busy.
Here is our challenge, if you haven’t yet, decide how you want to get involved. Not sure where to start? Here are five easy steps you can take right now.
-
Create your account on topekavolunteers.org. It takes just a few minutes to activate your personal gateway to serving the community. We have virtual volunteer opportunities and in-person volunteer opportunities directly related to COVID-19.
-
Already created your account but haven’t logged in for a while? Get reacquainted! Update your information and become a fan of more agencies to get updates when opportunities arise.
-
Spread the word! Invite your friends and family to sign up.
-
Share opportunities. Even if you aren’t ready to get out and volunteer just yet, you can help by using the built-in share buttons to put opportunities on your social media. And while you are sharing, remind your followers how easy it is to get their very own account on TopekaVolunteers.org!
-
Build the network. Are you part of an organization or nonprofit that utilizes volunteers? We challenge you to sign up for an organization account and start finding volunteers on TopekaVolunteers.org. It’s completely free, we offer training and support, and you get great tools for sharing your needs and tracking and reporting your volunteers’ contributions.
For more information, contact Director of Volunteer Engagement Jess Barraclough at jnb@unitedwaytopeka.org.