5 Reasons Nonprofits Need Volunteers
Ellie Takemura | Volunteer Coordinator
Volunteers from our Family Night Out events.
Skookum Kids started in 2015 with one big idea—what if more people took part in the important work of child welfare? Would the difficulty and the scary stereotypes be shattered if ordinary people stepped in to participate in foster care, in new and different ways than had been offered in the past? After hearing the needs of the community, forming a startup committee and breathing life into Skookum- The Landing was born! A brand new placement shelter for kids who need a safe place to stay- and the best part? Run almost exclusively by volunteers!
When asked “Why are volunteers so important to nonprofit organizations?” The obvious answer for Skookum Kids is this:
One of the biggest challenges of foster care is that not enough people are involved. Social workers, case managers and child welfare judges have important jobs and responsibilities. But many of them work at desks, are confined to their job responsibilities and are constantly trying to keep up with paperwork involved in their own caseloads. Skookum has created programs and opportunities for volunteers to serve in the margins and support the work already being done by state agencies. Regular people (like you and me!) who care about supporting kids in transition and the adults who care for them, can step into a volunteer role and contribute to this important work. It’s like the old saying goes, “you don’t have to be a foster parent to help a foster child.”
“One of the biggest challenges of foster care is that not enough people are involved.”
But—there are many other reasons that volunteers are so crucial, not just to Skookum’s programs, for non profit organizations nationwide! Here are a few:
Diversity of skills!
Perhaps the best thing about volunteers is they are all so different, and bring their own motivations, skills and abilities to a volunteer experience. When I think of Skookum’s volunteer team, each unique person’s story and skills come to mind. Retired educators and school counselors have decades of experience working with children. Young and energetic college students are video game experts and bike ramp building enthusiasts. Some of our folks have personal or professional experience with grief, trauma and resilience, and for others this is their first interaction working with kids in difficult situations. It can feel like we bring so little to the table when volunteering- reading a book with silly voices for each character, knowing how to concoct homemade playdough or french braid hair-- but these little gifts add up to big fun and serious comfort for kids.
According to VolunteerHub, Volunteerism in the United States has an annual value of more than $184 billion. I think most volunteer managers and organizations would consider volunteer efforts invaluable, though the numbers tell us that one hour of volunteer service is worth more than $28! This means organizations who utilize volunteer hours are able to spend less of their budget on overhead and more on programs and services. At Skookum, our volunteer hours offset costs so we’re able to provide a paid stipend for interns. We’re able to serve food and buy craft supplies for Family Night Out and support group meetings that are run by volunteers. We’re able to pay for rent, utilities and groceries at the Landing in Bellingham because of the folks who pitch in their free time to help keep the house moving.
Locals can make a difference
For locally based non-profit organizations (like Skookum Kids) volunteers have the opportunity to serve their own community’s needs and population. The reality is that foster care happens here whether or not we engage with it. Many of the children placed at the Landing, and all of the families involved in our support programs, live in Whatcom and Skagit counties. When adult (and teen!) volunteers from our communities step into local programs- they are giving back to people in their own backyards. We believe that our communities are stronger when more people are engaged and involved in helping their neighbors. Whether you serve monthly as a Board member or volunteer at an annual holiday drive, connection is key to building stronger and more resilient communities. Plus it doesn’t hurt that volunteering just 3 hours a week can decrease the risk of depression and high blood pressure development!
Volunteers increase quality of service
Volunteers increase the quality of services that organizations are able to provide. There is strength in numbers, and many hands make light work, especially when it comes to the hard work of child welfare. Volunteers help drive things! They can make a big impact in a short amount of time. They bring fresh energy and intensity to projects and new ideas that staff don’t always have the capacity to address.
We are so grateful to each of the hundreds of people who have volunteered with Skookum over the course of our journey over the past 7 years. The good news is there is room for you too! If you’d like to be part of what Skookum is doing, let’s connect to see if volunteering in our programs is right for you.