Volunteer Organizations

Volunteers play an important role in Foodshare operations. FoodShare is a regional food bank, serving 200 food banks in Hartford and Tolland Counties. They have close to 2,500 volunteers. The volunteers primarily sort and package donated food at the Hartford and Bloomfield buildings. Large groups volunteer from various companies. It is also a popular volunteer opportunity for retirees, many of who find time to work several times a week. From a corporate perspective, McAdam said, volunteer employee groups have many benefits, including team building and bonding. Spouses of some of the retired volunteers have told her that they didn’t know what they would do without the Foodshare outlet; it provides a sense of community and gives meaning to the lives of many retired individuals. FoodShare helps feed 1000s of hungry people in the Hartford area, and volunteers get a great sense of satisfaction knowing that they are a part of a larger community working to stop hunger. With the economic downturn more and more people are turning to food banks for help, and FoodShare volunteers can help suffering families better cope with these harsh economic times.

Career Beginnings works one on one with Hartford high school students helping them move on to higher education after high school. Volunteers meet with students twice a month. They provide guidance, and help with homework, financial aid, and applications. Volunteers run the gamut from retirees, to Trinity students and employees from local companies. Career Beginnings has a 92% success rate with the students they help. It may, Martin says, be something as simple as helping a student understand all their options. One student had applied to Southern State, and realized he might not be able to afford it. He thought his only other option was joining the army. A mentor from Career Beginnings had a direct impact; he talked to the student about financial aid, making it clear that if he wanted to go to college, he would likely qualify for assistance. The student went on to get a degree. They currently have 40 volunteers and want to have twice that many next year.

The Women’s Center of SECT serves victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in the southeast region of the state. They provide counseling, community education, and emergency and transitional housing.

Volunteers do everything from answering the phone to spending an afternoon painting transitional housing, or sorting donations. Their most acute need is for volunteers to work with clients. Volunteers who work with clients have to take a 40-hour training session to meet state law requirements. They have volunteers from all walks of life; During the course of the year, they have had as many as 200 volunteers. Some come for an afternoon; others work on a more sustained basis. Given the recent funding cuts, the Women’s Center has a tremendous need for volunteers whether it is a church group donating an afternoon or a college student wishing to pursue community service.

What do her volunteers say about their work with the Women’s Center? They gain insight into a world they previously didn’t understand; the experience changes how they feel about people in need; for some, volunteering fills a void, giving them a sense of satisfaction previously lacking in their lives; some are interested in pursuing a career in the non-profit sector, and volunteering gives them a better understanding of how a non-profit organization works.

St. Lukes Eldercare provides assistance to veterans and anyone over 65 needing assistance. Volunteers drive seniors to out of area medical appointments, wait with the patient while at the office, interface with doctors at the appointment if asked, do minor home repairs, balance check books, and go grocery shopping. “Without volunteers,” says executive director Daine Cummings, “there would not be a program. The volunteers are the organization.” This year St. Lukes had a client base of 250 and almost 340 volunteers. They have some student volunteers, but the age range is primarily between 35 and 60. They have stay at home moms who bring their children along, as well as individuals who are recently retired. Volunteers talk about making life-long friends with the seniors they serve. One volunteer said the work with St. Lukes gave meaning to life after the paying job was done. Another volunteer was depressed after her husband passed away; her volunteer work helped with the depression. St. Lukes is particularly attuned to the needs of veterans. If the organization can’t provide transportation to a doctor’s appointment for a veteran, St. Lukes will pay for a cab. Veterans, says Cummings, should not be abandoned.

Hands on Hartford is part of a national network with 250 offices nationwide. They are a matchmaker for area non-profit organizations. They screen and place voluneers. Hands on Hartford also runs a soup kitchen, provides transitional housing for people living with HIV, and works within the school system providing training for parents and academic enrichment for students. Doug Sudell says people volunteer for lots of reasons: Some have lost jobs and want to stay busy; for others, it is part of their religion. Many consider volunteering to be a critical part of their education. Hands on Hartford takes an holistic approach to volunteerism. For example, if someone is volunteering with individuals living with HIV, Hands on Hartford takes on the responsibility of educating the volunteer about the issue. Why is housing needed? Why is confidentiality important? Hands on Hartford recently received a grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving to foster this approach to volunteerism. Given the right tools and education, volunteers have a better experience, will be better volunteers, and have the potential to become effective advocates.

CHRIS has called on the talents of close to 350 volunteers this year. Utilizing a special FM frequency, they provide a reading service to individuals who are blind of physically handicapped and unable to read. They are in operation 24/7, reading the Hartford Courant, USA Today, the Hartford Business Journal and 40 magazines on-air. Volunteers read newspapers on-air, package and ship radios to the handicapped, and run the studio. Some of the volunteers just enjoy reading and want to share the experience with others. Others have family members who are touched by a disability that will not allow them to read.

Literacy Volunteers helps individuals and families achieve literacy in English and math, as well as with computers. They serve 16 towns and this year used 217 volunteers. The New Britain community desperately needs their services. Volunteers work with clients in small groups teaching basic skills such as reading, writing, math and computer skills. Volunteers should have a good command of the English language and be willing to commit 2 hours per week to the organization. Darleen says that volunteers come from all walks of life, but they are seeing a greater number of younger people wanting to participate.

Oddfellows Playhouse is a youth theater dedicated to making theater accessible to children of all backgrounds. It provides an artistic and educational experience that many children do not find in a traditional school setting. Volunteers build sets, get props, sell tickets to performances, and help with mailings. The Playhouse holds a United Way Day of Giving several times a year where groups from various companies come in to help with buildings and grounds projects. Oddfellows is also willing to provide more individualistic volunteer opportunities. If someone calls with a specific idea of what they would like to contribute, the management will try to be accommodating.

Family Reentry comprehensively addresses social problems related to crime, violence, abuse and incarceration. They offer a wide range of programs dealing with issues such as behavioral health, substance abuse, case management, mentoring, and violence prevention. They have numerous mentoring opportunities for volunteers that include working with children of prisoners, working with ex-offender, at-risk-children, and in-prison mentoring for youthful offenders. Their volunteer program is very successful because Family ReEntry provides a strong support network for volunteers. It is a family like environment, and most find it rewarding to be part of a successful program designed to break the intergenerational cycle or crime and incarceration. Volunteers are asked to commit one year to the volunteer program, but many stay on much longer.

The New Haven Land Trust is a nonprofit organization dedicated to land conservation, environmental education and community vegetable gardening in New Haven. The Trust currently maintains six preserves, close to 80 acres, with a variety of habitats. In addition, the Land Trust manages the Community Vegetable Garden Program which provides land, technical assistance and supplies to almost 50 community vegetable gardens. The New Haven Land trust would not exist without volunteers. It is an almost entirely volunteer based organization. The New Haven Land Trust depends on the commitment of regular volunteers to assist in managing preserves and community gardens.. Garden projects consist of planting seeds, weeding, spreading mulch and compost, fence building and minor landscaping. Preserve projects range from trash cleanup, bridge building & restoration, trail clearing & construction and invasive plant removal. They also have opportunities for educators to teach garden workshops or lead nature walks. Chris is a young computer programmer who became involved with the Trust almost by accident. Ten years ago he had a plot in a neighborhood community garden. When most of the participants moved away, someone asked Chris if he would like to run the garden. He didn’t think he could do it, but he tried, and he is now president of the board.

Pathways Senderos is committed to eliminating teen pregnancy in New Britain by addressing its root causes. 60 students currently participate in the program which begins in 5th or 6th grade. Students enrolled in the program go to Pathways Senderos at least three days a week where they receive comprehensive sex education, tutoring, and higher education preparation. Volunteers help with tutoring and act as role models for the kids. Volunteers fall in love with the kids and can really see the fruits of their labor. The kids find sanctuary at Pathways; it is very much a family atmosphere. Many of the kids go on to college.

Pro Bono Partnership provides free legal services to charities, including organizations like Habitat for Humanity. They service the tri-state area, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York. Most of their volunteers come from the corporate world. They take on responsibilities such as reviewing a contract, negotiating a real estate transaction or dealing with human resource issues. For many attorneys, it is an ideal volunteer opportunity because it is less time consuming than taking on a client who needs representation in court. It is the kind of work corporate lawyers do on a regular basis and does not require a large time commitment. Lawyers have an ethical obligation to do pro bono work, says Maurice, and Pro Bono Partnership gives corporate lawyers an opportunity to do this. They use hundreds of volunteers each year.

Children in Placement provides a crucial link between the court system and children who have been placed in state custody. On average, a juvenile court judge has approximately ten minutes to decide the future of a child. Without good information, the judge can’t rule in the child’s best interest. Children in Placement volunteers make sure the judge has a clear picture of what a child needs. Volunteers are typically assigned to one child’s case. They review the file, meet with the child at least once a month, talk with the child’s physician, and social worker gathering all the information needed to advocate in a child’s best interest. Social workers are so overwhelmed they don’t have the time to get to the bottom of the more complicated cases, says Moyer. Volunteers are asked to make a two- year commitment. They get 40 hours of training on issues such as abuse and neglect and court report writing. The volunteer group includes homemakers, lawyers, and doctors. Volunteers need to be 21 years of age, but the age range is wide; they have some volunteers well into their 70’s. This is a big commitment; volunteers have to be eager to delve into a child’s file, meet with the child on a regular basis, and step into a child’s world, so that they can advocate in the best of their client. It is a really rewarding job, said Moyer. These children have been taught through experience not to trust adults. The volunteers usually become the one adult they can trust.

The Windham Area Interfaith Ministry provides basic needs such as clothing, furniture, and financial aid to people in financial crisis. They utilize as many as 30 volunteers a day doing everything from sorting clothes to helping with administrative needs. Victoria says the Interfaith Ministry is a family ready to help when all else fails. There is a sense of community among the volunteers, many of whom are retired. Everyone feel welcome there.

The mission of the Connecticut Fund for the Environment is to protect and improve the land, air and water of Connecticut and Long Island Sound. They work at a policy level, writing an influencing legislation and filing lawsuits when environmental regulations are violated. Some of their achievements include: Cutting toxic pollution from new cars by one-third across the state, permanently protecting 15,000 acres of trees that purify our drinking water. In 2004, they merged with Save the Sound, a grassroots organization dedicated to preserving Long Island Sound. CT Fund for the Environment utilizes volunteers in a variety of ways. Some help with administrative duties and lobbying efforts, others work on habitat restoration projects. Last year, 1300 volunteers joined in beach cleanup efforts, removing 15,000 tons of trash from 45 miles of Connecticut beaches and rivers. Volunteers for CT Fund for the Environment have a powerful impact on environmental concerns.