The nonprofit organization my group members and I decided to volunteer is at Ronald McDonald House Charities of Durham and Wake (RMHC). The mission statement of RMHC is “built with love, the Ronald McDonald House of Durham and Wake offers a comforting “home away from home” and a community of support for seriously ill children and their families.’ At the beginning, I thought the organization would be extremely organized and efficient due to the fact that they have a high number of volunteers annually. In addition, they did not have a list of things to do for the volunteers beforehand; however, they randomly assign tasks as we volunteer throughout the day. I believe the organization’s volunteer capacities were met because they have numerous …show more content…
Not to mention, they have a high number of volunteers; therefore, they do not have a shortage on volunteers. According to Linda Hartenian, “Agencies that depend on direct (point-of-service) volunteers are more likely to bring volunteers on board and use the performance feedback process to guide any needed improvements” (Hartenian). In this case, RMH tries to receive feedbacks from their volunteers to see what changes they need to make in order for the organization to become more successful and enjoyable for others. As a whole, RMH are looking for volunteers who comes to help as a good deed rather than for themselves such as needing volunteer hours or to have it on a resume. In “Toward a Better Understanding of Volunteering for Nonprofit Organizations: Explaining Volunteers’ Pro-Social Attitudes” it states that, “ our results suggest that being a younger volunteer is positively correlated with higher levels of values and reasons for volunteering that are self-focused” (Briggs, Gregory, & Peterson). In this case, the RMH are looking for volunteers who want to help as a good deed rather than for volunteer hours or to have on a resume. They are looking for someone …show more content…
I thought it was extremely rewarding when I saw the joy in the peoples’ face when we were serving dinner for them. These people at RMH would tell us endless stories and how happy they were to be at RMH and having us as a volunteer. It was challenging to clean the storage areas full of tabs because it was knocked over all over the place. It took us a couple of hours to make sure that the can tabs were put in containers where the employees can transport the can tabs easily. It was exciting when we finished cleaning the storage areas because we know that it will help RMH to earn money to assist those in needs. In fact, these can tabs had helped them earn about $2K before and we hope that we helped them earn twice as much that
2. To offer some suggestions about how to plan, organize and maintain an effective volunteer program.
I am so glad that I was able to get this once in a lifetime opportunity because I was able to learn many things that I wouldn't have been able to learn without volunteering. I also felt accomplished because I was able to do something productive for these ten hours rather than sitting at home. I was able to impact my community and people that I care about. In conclusion, volunteering was a great
Throughout this course my paradigms of what a nonprofit organization have been challenged as we have considered the major aspects and leadership challenges of these organizations. Having worked with for profit and nonprofit organizations in the past I was quite confident that I had a clear understanding of the distinctions between the two. I had worked in organizations that regularly used volunteers to accomplish their mission and felt that the management of these processes were simplistic. Despite these misconceptions, I found that I was able to learn a tremendous amount through our reading, peer interactions, group projects and equally important, my volunteer service as part of this course.
The lunch bell rung at full volume as the main doors flung open. I predicted that a herd of people will rush in like the water from a spill gate. But instead every person was a line; in fact it was a neat single filed line. Another thing I was astonished to see was to the fact that every single person I served to was superbly well mannered. It was the magical word of thank-you which left great remarks in my life and made my volunteering experience an enjoyable one. After the shift, I have come to realize that everything my family and friends have said about impoverished people was nothing but just a stereotype. In addition, I have self-discovered that volunteering is what I want to do on my spare time. The joy from making new friends, appreciated and making a difference in society was too meaningful to put in words. From then on, volunteering had become one of my most highly valued priorities. Whenever I have time to spare, I will go
In the beginning of my senior year I was eager to expand my understanding of how it would be to work in a hospital. An opportunity arose allowing me to volunteer in the hospital at the University of Chicago. I was able to volunteer at the children's playroom, which consisted of a weekly commitment. The daily tasks I had to perform where to enlighten the spirits of children and reduce the amount of anxiety that developed within them when they approached a hospital visit. I would play games, read books, or just company the patients at their bedside. I especially love to interact with the younger patients because their laughter and innocence warms my heart up.
When I learned that one individual can only do so much while a group of passionate individuals can even move mountains, I took on the role of a shift leader to moderate volunteers and joined the emergency department to study a new environment the hospital offer. During that time, I trained numerous volunteers and assisted countless staffs in saving lives at an effective rate with quality services. Many volunteers I trained are continuing their ardent determination to thrive in the small volunteer room alongside with zealous
After volunteering three times with the social action committee and high school group from Emerson Unitarian Universalist Church in the previous years, the Houston Food Bank became very familiar both in regards of their history and how their volunteerism works. The Houston Food Bank is a non-profit organization that seeks donations of non-perishable food items to serve the low-income families in eighteen counties across Texas. However, during a recent trip to the food bank with the University of Houston-Downtown College of Business, the interactions with a larger group of classmates became more dynamic. Three main topics involving group work at the Houston Food Bank are service learning, community service, and volunteerism. Service learning
I saw in Egypt a city full of dirt and debris cleaning itself up; a city whose citizens became full of pride to say that they are from Alexandria and a city that is changing. Through volunteerism change is happening around the world, from the Middle East and Eastern Europe to Massachusetts. Through volunteerism a community is strengthening and pride is growing. That is the true impact of volunteerism. I started volunteering nine years ago and I was doing so without considering its impact and accepting what people told me. It wasn’t until five months ago that I got to witness and realize the impact of volunteering. It took me eight years and seven months to discover that the impact of volunteerism is more than what I was told. It took me eight years and seven months to understand that volunteerism impacts
I visited the Ronald McDonald House on September 15, to meet a family that was staying there because they had a very ill child. I was there to interview Mr. and Mrs. Davis who’s had their five-year-old son, John was at Children’s Mercy Hospital. The Davis family was there because John has leukemia and needed chemotherapy. When I first met John, I was at a loss for words. I saw a five-year-old boy that didn’t have any hair (like me) and was thin like a cable wire. I thought it was great that John got to say with his family on good days. What amazed me so much was his spirit and thrust for life. Because they had faith in their little boy getting better, his parents were very much the same. I asked them what made them so upbeat and positive. They told me that they were getting the best treatment around and being close to him everyday really helped. I didn’t quite understand what they meant and asked them to explain. They told me that staying at the RMH with their son meant everything to the whole family. Instead of being in a hospital bed, or hotel room, the Davis’s kept close and were able to do everything that a family would do. Such things included playing with toys, having meals together, taking walks, enjoying closeness with one’s family, and all in the comfort of a home.
Most nonprofit volunteer groups can be described as holistic and geared toward supporting those that are disadvantaged. The volunteer seeks to meet a need and/or be a role model. The desire is to give tools to an individual that can make their situation better than it was before. Many nonprofits are religious based entities ran by pastoral leaders. Other nonprofits are mainly community based operations set up to meet a physical or emotional need, provide food, offer shelter, counseling, or utility assistance
I attended Mary’s Kitchen on June 18, 2016 at 517 W Struck Ave, Orange, California 82867. I heard about this organization from one of my instructor who is a member of Sigma Theta Tau International. Mary’s Kitchen is a non-profit organization that helps less fortunate people in the Orange County. It is run by all volunteers as they provide compassionate care to others. The Sigma Theta Tau International has set up a Homeless Outreach Tent Clinic at Mary’s Kitchen. I visited the Homeless Outreach Tent Clinic. I had the opportunity to volunteer and meet a lot of nurses. We started at 9 in the morning and finished at 12 in the afternoon. I really enjoyed volunteering there as it made me more aware about poverty and the needs of homeless population.
While volunteering there, I was placed in a local long-term care home for the elderly. This experience was highly beneficial. Working along side, nurses, care aids and other health care professionals was my first view inside the “system”. Volunteering at the Care Home, did not necessarily make up my mind on the field of social work but solidified my desire to work in the field of human services. I learnt from this experience at the hospital how profound my compassion for others truly was. It was not until my first year of college, that I started to volunteer with an organization that I am still with today and absolutely adore volunteering with. That organization is the Vernon Women’s Transition House in Vernon BC. I started off by filling in for employees who met in weekly meetings. While on the floor, I met many women who were in a place of ‘in-between’ and safety. This experience was eye opening. After a brief stay out-of-town, I returned to Vernon and again volunteered with the transition house – this time in another program: Support to Young Parents. This is an incredible housing program where young mothers who have fled abuse (potentially without the resources or parenting skills they truly need) can live long term. This apartment consists of 6 units, with the 7th unit converted into a resource and common space. The program
People’s lives are changed every day by their actions and experiences. This past summer, I participated in a community service project, an experience that opened my eyes in many ways. I was a volunteer at the County Memorial Hospital. In my time as a volunteer at the hospital, I was able to meet patients and staff members from all over the world and learn about their life experiences. Listening to all of their stories has made me truly appreciate everything which I have.
Volunteering enables a person to develop new skills that he or she would otherwise not have been able to develop. Unlike most other organizations, a charitable organization is happy to give positions to passionate, though inexperienced, individuals who desire to help others and benefit the community. Therefore, an individual with little experience in a field of work can gain meaningful skills that he or she can use in the future. For example, while I volunteered at the hospital this summer, I learned about the daily work lives and professional duties of doctors and nurses. Had I not volunteered, I would not have learned about these things. I was always interested in the medical field, but volunteering at the hospital let me explore my interests and en...
Volunteering benefits a person by building connections with peers, improving family life, expanding career skills, overcoming self doubt, having lasting life impressions, and creating new opportunities. Just a small act can make a huge difference in someone’s life. The future is dependent on the individual person and the people they surround themselves with. Just a few hours will change both the volunteer’s life and the one that is in need.