What is a volunteer? What does volunteering mean to you? To me, volunteering means sharing, painting, playing sports, laughing, building, hugging, mentoring, gardening and caring. I know, it sounds mushy, sentimental and certainly cliché, but it’s true. When you give up your personally time, and donate it to someone who needs you, how can you not feel accomplished? Since I started at Hands On Charlotte, I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer through various efforts. Beatification projects, cleaning, tutoring, and the list goes on. At times, the challenge can be daunting, but if you let go of your inhibitions I guarantee you will love it! Volunteering always provides those special situations when you surprise yourself, and learn something new. Over the years I’ve picked up a multitude of tricks, skills and tools through volunteering. This Saturday at Hands On Charlotte Day, I will learn how to build benches! Whoever thought I was equipped for such a project?!
The best feature volunteering has to offer is that there’s something for everyone! Personally, I love to mentor and tutor. One of my favorite projects is Homework Hounds. Every Tuesday I get to help Matthew, who is in kindergarten. It’s my favorite part of the day. First we complete his homework, and then we read a book together and laugh and giggle all the way to the end. Although I’m helping my mentee, he is helping me as well. He is helping me not to take my life so serious!
I challenge everyone who is reading this to take an hour out of your week or month and do something fun and rewarding… Volunteer! I promise you will thank yourself!
Want to write a "Why I Volunteer" post for our blog? Email Tanner at tanner@handsoncharlotte.org for more information.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
The impact of volunteering in Charlotte
After telling a friend about Hands On Charlotte Day recently, I was intrigued with one of first questions. “So what is the impact of a day like that,” he asked. What is the impact of cleaning up school grounds, building a new set of benches or helping to organize donations? What are my three hours worth?
Oh, how I wish there were a simple, two-sentence answer. I wish there were a matrix I could show him: one hour equals 7.32 people served; two hours equals 16.14 clients served; three hours… If only the non-profit world had such answers. If only we had such great matrices. Alas, we do not.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t have answers to these questions. In fact, we do have answers. For example:
My friend’s question is a good one. Why should he volunteer? While we can point to studies about the impact of volunteering, the best answers, I think, come from our own personal stories. Over the next week, we are going to put a few of our own personal stories about volunteering, and what it has meant to us. If you’re looking to start gaining these experiences for yourselves, please join us for Hands On Charlotte Day.
Hands On Charlotte Day is this Saturday. Sign up goes through Friday, October 15. Please visit the Web site for more details.
Oh, how I wish there were a simple, two-sentence answer. I wish there were a matrix I could show him: one hour equals 7.32 people served; two hours equals 16.14 clients served; three hours… If only the non-profit world had such answers. If only we had such great matrices. Alas, we do not.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t have answers to these questions. In fact, we do have answers. For example:
- School grounds can impact academic performance. Zach Miners, in a recent article for District Administration, outlined the substantial effects that school gardens and clean school grounds can have student performance. These spaces can become outdoor classrooms, perfect for science lessons and inquiry-based learning. “Every kid dives right in,” the article quoted Sandra Antalis, an elementary curriculum manager in Houston. “When you’re outside in one of these areas, it’s hard not to start investigating.” At Hands On Charlotte Day, we will be planting school gardens and cleaning up school grounds. Want to give a kid a place to learn about science? Join us for Hands On Charlotte Day.
- Volunteering can have direct and substantial impact on the volunteer’s self-worth and self-confidence. We all hear that volunteering makes people feel good. But over the last few years, psychologists and researchers have shown this to be true in very concrete terms. For example, a recent study in the journal Social Behaviour charted the ways that volunteering increases notions of self-worth and confidence in people. The more people volunteer, the better they feel about themselves and the more they decide to engage their communities in other ways. Have you thought about volunteering but haven’t ever had the opportunity? Hands On Charlotte Day is a perfect way to get started! Come join us this Saturday.
My friend’s question is a good one. Why should he volunteer? While we can point to studies about the impact of volunteering, the best answers, I think, come from our own personal stories. Over the next week, we are going to put a few of our own personal stories about volunteering, and what it has meant to us. If you’re looking to start gaining these experiences for yourselves, please join us for Hands On Charlotte Day.
Hands On Charlotte Day is this Saturday. Sign up goes through Friday, October 15. Please visit the Web site for more details.
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
George Bernard Shaw loved volunteering
"I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can." - George Bernard Shaw
Like so many other people in Charlotte these days, I am not a native. I am one more Midwesterner who has made his way south and learned of the loveliness of the weather and the beauty of the area. No, the weather’s not always perfect, but I’ll gladly take it over the brutal winters I grew up with along Lake Michigan in Chicago. What I do miss is the sense of community and connection thrust upon me by living in such a dense, urban setting. The connections were not always positive, and not everyone in the community got along, but there was no denying the interweaving way in which neighbors, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, places of worship, and nonprofits worked together – or didn’t.
The point is not proximity, nor an apology for the urban life. It’s about seeing the way we are connected with others. It’s about seeing when this works well and when it doesn’t. In an internet-dominated age, it is harder to notice and easier to ignore the personal and physical relationships around us. We are not islands to ourselves, but part of a greater whole, whether we acknowledge it or not. Volunteering is one way we begin to see the connections and can take action. Volunteering is the acknowledgment that I am part of a bigger picture. The health of Charlotte depends upon our seeing this picture, acknowledging the connections, and figuring out how we can each strengthen them.
So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to see the connections and be a part of a bigger picture, come join us at Hands On Charlotte Day on October 16. Come explore the connections and see where you fit. It is not about just one day; it is about a new vision. Maybe Hands On Charlotte Day is your eye opener.
-Rob Hammock
Like so many other people in Charlotte these days, I am not a native. I am one more Midwesterner who has made his way south and learned of the loveliness of the weather and the beauty of the area. No, the weather’s not always perfect, but I’ll gladly take it over the brutal winters I grew up with along Lake Michigan in Chicago. What I do miss is the sense of community and connection thrust upon me by living in such a dense, urban setting. The connections were not always positive, and not everyone in the community got along, but there was no denying the interweaving way in which neighbors, neighborhoods, businesses, schools, places of worship, and nonprofits worked together – or didn’t.
The point is not proximity, nor an apology for the urban life. It’s about seeing the way we are connected with others. It’s about seeing when this works well and when it doesn’t. In an internet-dominated age, it is harder to notice and easier to ignore the personal and physical relationships around us. We are not islands to ourselves, but part of a greater whole, whether we acknowledge it or not. Volunteering is one way we begin to see the connections and can take action. Volunteering is the acknowledgment that I am part of a bigger picture. The health of Charlotte depends upon our seeing this picture, acknowledging the connections, and figuring out how we can each strengthen them.
So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to see the connections and be a part of a bigger picture, come join us at Hands On Charlotte Day on October 16. Come explore the connections and see where you fit. It is not about just one day; it is about a new vision. Maybe Hands On Charlotte Day is your eye opener.
-Rob Hammock
A note from Lisa Quisenberry
Dear friends of Hands On Charlotte,
I want to thank you personally for everything you've done in support of Hands On Charlotte this year. Without committed people like you, we simply wouldn't be able to serve Charlotte's most vulnerable communities and populations. We know that in these challenging economic times, it's difficult to find time for other people. Thank you for finding that time, and thank you for your support of Hands On Charlotte.
I'm writing to invite you to participate in this year's Hands On Charlotte Day, which is Saturday, October 16. In its 18th year, Hands On Charlotte Day is taking aim at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and local non-profit organizations. We have beautification and construction projects planned at public schools, parks, museums and community centers. We hope you will join us in supporting our community on this inspirational and meaningful day. Please sign up on the HOC web site.
Although you will be serving the community on Hands On Charlotte Day, this event is also a fundraiser for us. Your individual or family contribution supports the year-round work of of HOC, giving people like you--people searching for convenient and effective volunteer opportunities--the chance to take advantage of hundreds of projects each month. So if you cannot make it to Hands On Charlotte Day, but you would like to make a donation to Hands On Charlotte, please visit our donation page.
If you've already signed up, thank you! Volunteering is often even more enjoyable with friends. Perhaps you could mobilize your inner circle and start a volunteer team?
The communities we serve depend on people like you. Hands On Charlotte Day depends on people like you. Please join us October 16 from 9 a.m. until noon for Hands On Charlotte Day.
Together in service,
Lisa Quisenberry
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Hands On Charlotte
I want to thank you personally for everything you've done in support of Hands On Charlotte this year. Without committed people like you, we simply wouldn't be able to serve Charlotte's most vulnerable communities and populations. We know that in these challenging economic times, it's difficult to find time for other people. Thank you for finding that time, and thank you for your support of Hands On Charlotte.
I'm writing to invite you to participate in this year's Hands On Charlotte Day, which is Saturday, October 16. In its 18th year, Hands On Charlotte Day is taking aim at Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and local non-profit organizations. We have beautification and construction projects planned at public schools, parks, museums and community centers. We hope you will join us in supporting our community on this inspirational and meaningful day. Please sign up on the HOC web site.
Although you will be serving the community on Hands On Charlotte Day, this event is also a fundraiser for us. Your individual or family contribution supports the year-round work of of HOC, giving people like you--people searching for convenient and effective volunteer opportunities--the chance to take advantage of hundreds of projects each month. So if you cannot make it to Hands On Charlotte Day, but you would like to make a donation to Hands On Charlotte, please visit our donation page.
If you've already signed up, thank you! Volunteering is often even more enjoyable with friends. Perhaps you could mobilize your inner circle and start a volunteer team?
The communities we serve depend on people like you. Hands On Charlotte Day depends on people like you. Please join us October 16 from 9 a.m. until noon for Hands On Charlotte Day.
Together in service,
Lisa Quisenberry
Co-Founder and Executive Director
Hands On Charlotte
Monday, October 4, 2010
Volunteers across Charlotte prepare for day of service
With only 12 days left until “Hands On Charlotte Day,” volunteers across the city are signing up to serve local schools and non-profit organizations on October 16. Approximately 1,000 Charlotteans will come out for Hands On Charlotte’s 18th-annual day of service.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are set to be among the day’s top beneficiaries. Hands On Charlotte has organized 10 beautification projects at public schools around city. In addition, volunteer teams will serve area non-profits at a number of other sites. The Charlotte Nature Museum, for example, will host volunteers to work on trails and gardens. Like many other HOC Day projects, the Charlotte Nature Museum is a family-friendly event, welcoming families with children over the age of 6.
“Our volunteers are essential to the success of ‘Hands On Charlotte Day,’” said Bob Young, Hands On Charlotte’s associate director. “We really can’t thank them enough for their efforts. Anyone who wants to support ‘Hands On Charlotte Day’ should visit our Web site.”
A number of Charlotte-area organizations have answered the call to help make “Hands On Charlotte Day” a success. Charlotte Business Journal is the day’s primary sponsor. Elevation Church, The Home Depot Foundation, Newell Rubbermaid and UNC Charlotte, as well as Anne L. Bradley (CPA, PA), Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting, Kola Construction and Rorick Construction have all signed on to support “Hands On Charlotte Day.”
“Without our corporate partners, Hands On Charlotte would not be able to organize this event,” Young said. “These organizations’ involvement in ‘Hands On Charlotte Day’ demonstrates their collective commitment to building and maintaining Charlotte’s reputation as one the nation’s top places to live.”
Hands On Charlotte is still looking for individual volunteers, volunteer teams and partners to help with this year’s Hands On Charlotte Day. To register, please visit our Web site for details.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools are set to be among the day’s top beneficiaries. Hands On Charlotte has organized 10 beautification projects at public schools around city. In addition, volunteer teams will serve area non-profits at a number of other sites. The Charlotte Nature Museum, for example, will host volunteers to work on trails and gardens. Like many other HOC Day projects, the Charlotte Nature Museum is a family-friendly event, welcoming families with children over the age of 6.
“Our volunteers are essential to the success of ‘Hands On Charlotte Day,’” said Bob Young, Hands On Charlotte’s associate director. “We really can’t thank them enough for their efforts. Anyone who wants to support ‘Hands On Charlotte Day’ should visit our Web site.”
A number of Charlotte-area organizations have answered the call to help make “Hands On Charlotte Day” a success. Charlotte Business Journal is the day’s primary sponsor. Elevation Church, The Home Depot Foundation, Newell Rubbermaid and UNC Charlotte, as well as Anne L. Bradley (CPA, PA), Carlisle & Gallagher Consulting, Kola Construction and Rorick Construction have all signed on to support “Hands On Charlotte Day.”
“Without our corporate partners, Hands On Charlotte would not be able to organize this event,” Young said. “These organizations’ involvement in ‘Hands On Charlotte Day’ demonstrates their collective commitment to building and maintaining Charlotte’s reputation as one the nation’s top places to live.”
Hands On Charlotte is still looking for individual volunteers, volunteer teams and partners to help with this year’s Hands On Charlotte Day. To register, please visit our Web site for details.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)