Meet two dedicated volunteers that contributed to Portland's ranking of second in the nation in volunteering.
When we think of the time of year when volunteer services are most needed, summer doesn’t usually come to mind. But this summer is different. Deepening economic troubles have increased the demand for basic services, and each individual’s contribution is more important than ever. And with a new national call to service by President Obama, it is clear that our national attention continues to focus on how to solve problems from the ground up.
At times like these, many of us wonder what we can do. Many of us are volunteering and donating money. But how can we expand our impact now when it is needed most? One way is to help Hands On Greater Portland spread the word. Reaching out to people you know and asking them to get involved is a very effective way to help. Each of us can communicate about the power of volunteering and recruit new volunteers; as a result, we automatically become much more powerful change-makers for the community.
One such change-maker is Brenda Bowling, who has been volunteering through Hands On at the Union Gospel Mission for the past ten years. Brenda has found that the best way to recruit others is to show them how fun volunteering can be: “The best advice is to be sincere,” Brenda says. “The enthusiasm is contagious. If volunteers see how excited you are about a project, they cannot help but want to be a part of that energy and excitement.” The enthusiasm that Brenda brings to her work is well-known and inspires “one-time” volunteers to return for more. Many of these volunteers arrive at her projects after being ordered by the court system, and become regulars when they see their impact and how fulfilling the work can be.
Kaylen Miller, another long-time Hands On volunteer and leader of a monthly Hands On orientation project, identifies with this experience. She often works with teens who volunteer at her projects to fulfill school requirements, and doesn’t expect that they will return. But more often than not, Kaylen’s impact is greater than she expects. “They tell me how much fun they had and then I see them again many more times, not for school, AND they bring friends when they come back,” Kaylen says. She also finds great success in talking about her projects with anyone and everyone. “If I just mention to someone that I have a volunteer event coming up, they will ask me about it and it opens the door for me to introduce them to Hands On. I walk away knowing that I might have just helped guide someone to volunteer.”
So get out there and start talking! Tell your friends about all the interesting people you meet and experiences you have. Tell your loved ones or your co-workers about Love Letters at Lunch Time and Hands On Orientation and Project at the Oregon Food Bank. You may end up doubling your impact by getting someone involved for the first time, and when that happens, the ripple effects are endless. As Brenda says, “You just never know what’s going to happen when you volunteer. You never know how you are touching other people’s lives.”
At times like these, many of us wonder what we can do. Many of us are volunteering and donating money. But how can we expand our impact now when it is needed most? One way is to help Hands On Greater Portland spread the word. Reaching out to people you know and asking them to get involved is a very effective way to help. Each of us can communicate about the power of volunteering and recruit new volunteers; as a result, we automatically become much more powerful change-makers for the community.
One such change-maker is Brenda Bowling, who has been volunteering through Hands On at the Union Gospel Mission for the past ten years. Brenda has found that the best way to recruit others is to show them how fun volunteering can be: “The best advice is to be sincere,” Brenda says. “The enthusiasm is contagious. If volunteers see how excited you are about a project, they cannot help but want to be a part of that energy and excitement.” The enthusiasm that Brenda brings to her work is well-known and inspires “one-time” volunteers to return for more. Many of these volunteers arrive at her projects after being ordered by the court system, and become regulars when they see their impact and how fulfilling the work can be.
Kaylen Miller, another long-time Hands On volunteer and leader of a monthly Hands On orientation project, identifies with this experience. She often works with teens who volunteer at her projects to fulfill school requirements, and doesn’t expect that they will return. But more often than not, Kaylen’s impact is greater than she expects. “They tell me how much fun they had and then I see them again many more times, not for school, AND they bring friends when they come back,” Kaylen says. She also finds great success in talking about her projects with anyone and everyone. “If I just mention to someone that I have a volunteer event coming up, they will ask me about it and it opens the door for me to introduce them to Hands On. I walk away knowing that I might have just helped guide someone to volunteer.”So get out there and start talking! Tell your friends about all the interesting people you meet and experiences you have. Tell your loved ones or your co-workers about Love Letters at Lunch Time and Hands On Orientation and Project at the Oregon Food Bank. You may end up doubling your impact by getting someone involved for the first time, and when that happens, the ripple effects are endless. As Brenda says, “You just never know what’s going to happen when you volunteer. You never know how you are touching other people’s lives.”
