*Can you describe your
volunteer efforts? What group do you
serve and what is their mission? What
kinds of things do volunteers do for this group?
Since
relocating to the Richmond area 10 years ago, I have connected and volunteered with
dozens of local nonprofits, thanks in large part to being introduced to them by
HandsOn Greater Richmond. HandsOn partners
with area nonprofits to train and assign team leaders, recruit and build
volunteer teams, and develop volunteer projects to meet the nonprofits’ needs. Along with coordinating volunteer
opportunities throughout the year, they also hold special larger-scale days of
service annually devoted to volunteering such as HandsOn Day, Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, etc. You can find opportunities
to make a difference in whatever area or issue interests you through HandsOn
whether it be working with animals, seniors, kids, environment/conservation,
education, special needs, homelessness, and many others. For more info on how to get involved visit www.handsonrva.org.
*How or why did you get
involved in volunteering?
I always had
an interest in volunteering but it really hit home and became a true passion of
mine in September 2005. I was living in
Mississippi when Hurricane Katrina came through. In the aftermath, I spent countless hours over
the course of several weeks volunteering in disaster relief / missing persons
through the collaborative efforts of MEMA (Mississippi Emergency Management Agency)
and the American Red Cross. This very
emotional eye-opening experience was one of the most profound in my life and I
experienced some incredible things both good and bad that I will never forget. It instilled something deep inside me in
which I attribute significant credit for making me the person I am today.
*How long have you been
involved? How much time do you devote to
volunteering (weekly, monthly)?
My volunteer
“career” truly solidified itself in January 2007 when I registered with HandsOn
Greater Richmond. I typically volunteer
several hours each month often among numerous organizations. There are a handful of regular volunteer
events in which I participate annually as well such as HandsOn Day in October,
Fetch A Cure usually in May, and probably the most fulfilling and rewarding endeavor
for me each year is Homeward’s annual Project Homeless Connect in November. I would recommend that event to anyone who
has a passion for this cause. You can check
out a short video of it at https://vimeo.com/18680883.
*Do your volunteer
efforts impact your job at Reynolds? (Follow-up: If you volunteer during the
work day, do you use your Volunteer Leave?)
Yes and in
very much a good way. In my work role,
the more knowledgeable I become with the numerous agencies and services
available in the community and exactly what they do and can offer, then the
more valuable of a service I can provide to the individuals whom I assist in my
job. Through volunteering, I become
familiar with these resources. It’s not
uncommon for clients to need supportive services that I am able to connect them
to through my volunteer contacts.
And yes, I
have utilized my Volunteer Leave time.
During my first-day orientation, I thoroughly read over the employee
leave details specifically in search of such a policy and was very happy when I
discovered that it exists. Knowing that Reynolds
Community College and its leadership values volunteerism enough to build this
into our benefits package, I consider it an honor to work for such an employer.
*Do you have any tips
for others who want to get involved?
My advice
would be to start by introducing yourself to various nonprofits and participate
in one activity with each to get to know them better. A few years
ago my alma mater was celebrating its centennial. In celebration of “100 years”, I developed a
campaign to personally volunteer 100 hours of community service over the course
of the year and document my adventures. I
did so by creating the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/groups/101021246612662/?ref=browser and also a hardcopy binder with
pictures from each stop along the way. My
intention was to not only communicate my progress but also to share links for
people to access more information on each of the agencies and organizations so
that they too may become involved. When
the year was over, I had performed over 100 hours of service for 18+
organizations.
I encourage
or even challenge anyone reading this (faculty, staff, students, whomever) to
embark on their own “helping hundred” year of service and track your
progress. And if you do, please let me
know as I would be delighted to witness your journey.
In fact I
may even be willing to start my next hundred too.
Mark is a CCWA (Community College Workforce Alliance) Adult Career Coach. He recruits, advises, and enrolls participants in credential training programs; Prepares and develops participants in employability skills activities and help participants navigate the workforce system and connects them to various supportive services available in the community. CCWA is the workforce development partnership between Reynolds and John Tyler Community College.
