Online Sign Up Blog by VolunteerSpot

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences | Prepare & Enjoy

The relationship between parent and teacher is vital when it comes to a child's education.  Parent teacher conferences provide the ultimate communication channel for partnership and understanding between teachers and parents - prepare for your child's conference this spring with these top tips!

Top Tips for your Parent-Teacher Conference   

1.  Be on time!  Remember, 5 minutes early is 'on time,' 'on time' is late.  Mark your calendar and set a reminder in your phone or on your computer.

2.  Be prepared!  Really there’s only one
 question you need to ask your child’s teacher:  How can I best help YOU help MY child?  Have these other questions in mind, however, and be ready to LISTEN to your teacher's answers, suggestions, and recommendations.

1. What would you say are my child’s strengths & learning opportunities?

1. How would you rate my child’s behavior and what does it tell you about my child’s learning style? 
   
   
2. How should I track my child’s performance? Are there examples of my child’s work?
   
   
3. Do you have suggestions for things we can do at home to better support my child’s learning? (Computer Games, Workbooks etc.)
   
   
4. Are my child’s assignments completed on time and at an appropriate performance level?
   
   
5. What types of books and educational games do you recommend for my learner? Is there a list of suggested reading?
   
   
6. How is my child getting along socially with other children?
   
   
7. What am I not asking or noticing that I should be?

3.   Write it down!  Don't hesitate to take pen and paper and write down important notes your child's teacher makes regarding your child's learning successes and points of improvement.  Digest the discussion , then refer to your notes at a later time to refresh .

4.  Share with your child!  Let your child know what YOU learned about his or her classroom successes and behaviors.  Note some of your favorite aspects of the classroom and what you liked most about their teacher. Take a camera and photograph favorite artwork you liked in the room!

Attending spring conferences might seem like just another bullet point on the already lengthy to-do list, but going into it with the goal to enhance the parent teacher relationship will ultimately make it a positive experience for everyone involved!

Also see:  Parent Teacher Conference Sign Up Sheets

Valentine's Party

Classroom Valentine's Party Planning Ideas

Free online sign up sheets will be a treat for your class parents volunteering at this year's Valentine's party, and these creative party ideas and tips will make the time an absolute blast for the kids!

1. Plan it!

Notify parents the week before whether valentines will be passed out during the class party. Indicate students should bring one valentine for each student (and their teacher), include a list of all class names with your letter. If children are too young to write names, give a total number of students instead, or how many boys and girls.

• Create Valentine's Holders!  Let students decorate their own Valentine's holders at the beginning of the party.  Keep it simple - brown paper lunch baggies or paper plates stapled together with the top left open, decorated with construction paper hearts.  Make sure everyone puts their name on their holder!

Plan two to three simple yet fun Valentine's activities, depending on time constraints.  

•  Crafts! Need ideas? Check out our VolunteerSpot Pinterest board
  
  
•  Games!  Stock up on conversation hearts and create a whole lotta fun with these simple candy heart game ideas from RoomMomSpot! 
  
  
•  Learning Activities!  Work Valentine's math into the mix - Find Your Heart Mate gives kids a chance to get up, walk around and work out simple equations with their peers.
  
  
• Snacks!  Have your sweets, but make those healthy options fun too.
   
  Veggie and Fruit Hearts!  Many vegetables and fruits can be cut and sliced in the shape of hearts.  Check out these fun heart carrot slices from our friends at C.R.A.F.T.!  
  
  Keep it mini!  The day is already sugar-filled to begin with so keep the sweet class treats fun and small!  Think mini cake pops, brownie bites, or heart-shaped muffins.

2.  Get help!

Ask class parents (and grandparents) to pitch in and volunteer either during the party or by contributing supplies and food. Remember to plan for craft and game supplies, snacks, paper ware, and simple decorations (think plastic table cloths and paper hearts).

Tip: Free online signup sheets from VolunteerSpot.com make it easy to coordinate parent helpers. With the click of a mouse or a tap on a smartphone, parents can quickly choose when to help and what to bring. Automated reminders keep everyone on track.

3.  Have fun!

Be ready for joyful chaos!  Things don't always go as planned, but don't stress it.  Keep a smile on your face and know kids will be enjoying the 'work-free' time no matter what!  Be sure to take lots of pictures - party day is a perfect time to capture Yearbook images for the Yearbook team! 

Talent Shows

Talent Shows | Creative Tips & Ideas for Your Fundraiser

Shine a spotlight on your school or community this year (and raise money) with a Talent Show!   Talent shows are real community-builders and fantastic ways to raise money for your group.  With volunteer support and enthusiastic participation, your talent show will be the talk of the town for years to come!

Talent shows can be simple or elaborate and are appropriate for participants of all ages.  Check out our free e-book with great tips and ideas for a fabulous talent show!

School Talent Shows for Fun and Fundraising

 

            - Getting Started

            - Publicity

           -  Creative Acts

             - Fundraising Ideas

            - Concessions

            - Show-day tips

 

 

View more presentations from VolunteerSpot

Already planning a Talent Show?  Save time and energy coordinating performance sign ups and volunteer shifts (think ticket sales, concessions, ushers) with free online sign up sheets!

Food Insecurity & Hunger | #TinyCars

Volunteers Can't Feed America in #TinyCars

Reaching for an afternoon snack or preparing a hearty dinner is oftentimes merely an after-thought for many of us.  Unfortunately, going hungry is a much harsher reality 1 in 6 Americans face.  The food insecurity issue is a grave one which volunteers across America fight to address daily.

The tiny 14 cent charitable mileage tax rate negatively impacts those volunteers who devote their time and money to organizing food drives, coordinating food banks, feeding the food insecure, and much more.

Food insecure and hunger statistics from 2010 illustrate the need, and with staggering unemployment rates, these numbers have only increased in the last year.

• In 2010, 48.8 million Americans lived in food insecure households, 32.6 million adults and 16.2 million children.
• In 2010, 14.5 percent of households (17.2 million households) were food insecure.
• In 2010, 5.4 percent of households (6.4 million households) experienced very low food security.
• In 2010, households with children reported food insecurity at a significantly higher rate than those without children, 20.2 percent compared to 11.7 percent.

Source:  Feeding America, http://feedingamerica.org

Help spread the word - Volunteers Don't Drive #TinyCars, They Don't Deserve a Tiny Tax Rate!

Visit and share the campaign page and make a difference with a click!

• Tell Congress via Popvox that you agree with increasing the rate,
• Share the cause image
• Spreading the word via facebook and twitter with hashtag #tinycars!

 

Are you organizing a food drive or coordinating food bank volunteers?  Free online sign up sheets make it simple - set up shifts and needs, and volunteers can sign up from their computer or smartphone.  Automatic reminders help everyone keep their commitment and do more good!

Blood Drive Coordinators: Free Online Signup Sheets

National Blood Donor Awareness Month | January

As January wraps up, VolunteerSpot wants to give a big KUDOS to those who take the time to save lives by donating blood, and help those who organize blood drives with Free online signup sheets and volunteer management software that's so easy, anyone can use it!

Since 1970, January has been recognized as the National Blood Donor Awareness month, honoring those who both choose to act as blood donors as well as sponsor blood drives.  It is also a great time to promote the ongoing need for donated blood as January marks the time when donations seem to dip the greatest.  According the American Red Cross, someone in the U.S. is in need of blood every two seconds! 

Online sign up sheets can be used to schedule appointments for donors as well as organize volunteers for registration and other drive needs, i.e. sitting with donors, providing snacks and drinks, handing out t-shirts.

Blood Drive Sign Up Sheet - Donor Appointment Scheduler (Day View):

         Blood Drive Volunteer Sign Up (Day View):

Free online sign up sheets allow volunteers and donors to sign up with a few clicks on their computer or mobile device, and automatic reminders (sent out two days prior to the drive) help everyone keep their commitment!

Promote your blood drive sign up via facebook, twitter, your website or e-newsletter and get inspired by these stories of ultimate blood donors.

VolunteerSpotlight: Julie C. Brewer, AmeriCorps VISTA, Ada, Ohio

Volunteer Coordinator Spotlight | ReStore Community Center

ReStore Community Center is a nonprofit ministry center. They seek to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the community through a variety of programs and resources, including a thrift store, a free weekly community meal, financial and benefits supports, emergency food assistance, a community garden, fellowship experiences, and volunteer opportunities. 

Today, our VolunteerSpotlight shines on Julie C. Brewer, Volunteer Coordinator for ReStore Community Center. She uses VolunteerSpot to coordinate the many wonderful volunteers who help with various duties.

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Please tell us about your organization and your volunteer needs.
We typically have a wide range of projects going on for which we need to organize volunteers. Additionally, we have ongoing community center upkeep jobs that can be done every day the center is open. So some needs are short, one time instances, but others are ongoing, regular opportunities to help.  

How did you get started as a volunteer leader?
I fill the AmeriCorps VISTA position at ReStore Community Center, meaning that most of my service is indirect. I'm the one behind the scenes trying to help increase the ReStore staff's ability to serve the community. Part of my role as the VISTA is to organize and manage effective volunteer recruitment, training, and retention.

What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?
Say "Thank you." Say it often and say it sincerely. Even if it's a small task, there's nothing more affirming for a volunteer than to know that her service was deeply appreciated. Everyone seems to work harder and more willingly if the services offered are both noticed and valued.    

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
ReStore is located in Ada, Ohio - a small, rural college town. The students are a wonderful asset to our community and many students need to fulfill community service hours as part of their course requirements. Other students simply enjoying being off-campus for a breath of fresh air. Regardless of why they come to volunteer, we enjoy having them come. At the end of their semesters, though, typically heaps of students pour into our community center wanting to fulfill their service requirements. Our kind-hearted and generous staff were always in a pickle, not having enough work for the volunteers, yet not wanting to turn anyone away. So, with one of our interns, I began the search for an online volunteer system that would allow students to sign up ahead of time and that would keep our staff from being inundated all at once with volunteers. We looked at a lot of different online systems and finally chose VolunteerSpot because it was the first one we found that would fit our need for ongoing volunteer sign-ups. It was also really important to our organization's budget that we were able to use the free version of this online program, too. Using VolunteerSpot has saved us a lot of headaches already!

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your organization or volunteering?
"How can I help?" is one of the most relieving phrases I've heard from some of our volunteers. It's great to be able to have volunteers who are willing to do whatever is most helpful at the moment. Thanks to all of you who volunteer regularly, the services, programs, and resources that our community center and I'm sure many others offer would not be possible if it weren't for our wonderful volunteers. THANK YOU!

 For more information, visit http://restorecenter.wordpress.com/

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We salute Julie and all the other volunteer leaders out there making a difference. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at VS@volunteerspot.com.

Be Organized in the Family Room | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

Finding ways to be organized in the family room {great room, bonus room, living room} can be one of the most difficult projects you take on.

Why?

Because there are so many different organizing personalities using the same space.

{and yes, that picture is the Man Cave in my home ... no adjustments made before the shot}

 

How to be Organized in the Family Room | deClutter

Let's start at the beginning.

Take a look around.

1. Start collecting the garbage into a trash bag
2. Sort "stuff that doesn't belong" into piles based on where it needs to go {ex: dishes = kitchen}
3. Deliver piles to their destination

 

How to be Organized in the Family Room | Function

Next, you'll want to look at what's left in the space.

Ask yourself the following

1. What do I do in here?
2. Who do I do those things with? {other family members, guests, myself}
3. Where does it make sense to do those things in this room?

 

How to be Organized in the Family Room | Maintaining

Finally, keeping up on it.

Here's the deal. When you live in a space, it will never look like a magazine ad. Well, unless you're selling storage containers to your friends ... but I digress.

• You're going to have snacks while you watch TV
  • and place dishes or garbage on the convenient surfaces
• You're going to cuddle up under blankets when you're cold
  • and leave them sprawled out all over when you sleepily head to bed
• You're going to find a catastrophe after the kiddos have friends over {or girl's night or the Super Bowl or the animals were left home alone all day}
  • and wonder what tornado arrived inside your home when you weren't looking

These things happen.

Now.

I give you permission to allow all that to go on under your roof without anxiety.

Why?

Because, this is what life looks like.

 

How to be Organized in the Family Room | Reality

How do other people do it?

They see things are lying around and they make the time to pick them up.

Oh, and don't get me wrong. I'm not talking about the strict "you must do it this way" regime.

I'm talkin' - you enter the room, notice the blankets & either fold them up and put 'em away or you get back under them ... then fold 'em up & put them away when you're done.

Give yourself a break.

No one is perfect. And a family room is most definitely NOT the place to begin measuring yourself against any sense of normal.

 

Join me in the conversation below or over on the VolunteerSpot Facebook Page ...

What does your family room look like right now, and what attempts have you made to be organized in that shared space?

Keepin' it Tidy,

April

April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

Want more? Come join the DIY Declutter Club today!

 

Social Entrepreneur Tools

10 Free Things Every New Social Entrepreneur Should Have

Looking to do some social good?  As they say, Rome wasn't built in a day.  Find top tools and tips from SocialEarth for growing your social entrepreneurial impact, from  logos to lawyers, to exposure and enterprise.

Today’s post comes from Halle Tecco, the Founder and Executive Director of Yoga Bear,  It originally appeared in February 2010 on the SocialEarth blog.

A successful social entrepreneur is scrappy and resourceful. They know how to do more with less, and create a social impact while doing so. The 10 resources below are free monetarily, but each is an invaluable tool for launching and sustaining a lean social enterprise.

1. Interns. Treat them well, give them meaningful projects, and make it worth their while. Most universities even offer credit for coursework, so contact a university’s marketing, nonprofit, or social work departments. You can also post opportunities for free on Enternships and InternshipIn.

2. A good lawyer. Unless you’re also a lawyer, you’re going to need to find someone with legal expertise to help you navigate contracts and ensure you comply with state and federal law. Fortunately, many lawyers are generous enough to donate a portion of their time to pro bono projects. CorporateProBono, a national initiative of the American Corporate Counsel Association, plays “matchmaker” between nonprofits and such generous attorneys.

3. 501(c)3 status. Okay you can’t skirt paying for filing these forms, but you can save by filing them yourself. Yes, it’s time consuming and challenging; but I guarantee your journey ahead will be even more so. When I was trying to incorporate Yoga Bear as a 501(c)3, I used the Nolo Guide Starting & Building a Nonprofit, which I borrowed from the local library.

4. Board Members. Finding directors with complementary skills, as well as the experience and spirit of public service to guide your organization is essential. Post your opportunities on BoardNetUSA, BoardSource, and VolunteerMatch.

5. Local Support. Know thy neighbor. Regardless if your initiative is hyper-local or entirely global, get involved with the local changemaker movement. A great place to start is joining the listserv of your local YNPN chapter. You’ll be added to an e-mail list that exchanges ideas, questions, local news, and events.

6. Global Exposure. It goes without saying that you will need to create a Twitter Account and Facebook Page, at the very least. Use Namechk to see if your organization’s username is still available. Even if you don’t plan on starting a YouTube page, claim the name now.

7. Collaboration and management tools. These tools are especially important if volunteers and team members are geographically dispersed. Google Docs or PBworks are two excellent (and free) products that will allow you to coordinate work on documents and spreadsheets. And the Salesforce Foundation donates CRM product licenses to qualified nonprofits.

8. A great logo. I am far from an artist, but I am proud to say that I created the Yoga Bear logo using stock photo art and a free version of Photoshop. Try GIMP, a free Photoshop-like software and their free tutorials to learn how.

9. A Web site. Your home on the web. Depending on your needs and programming skills, there are a plethora of options. If you know a bit of HTML, try Ning to create a homepage with social network features like message boards and a blog (this is what we use for YogaBear). Or if you need an easy drag-and-drop interface, use Weebly.

10. An Understanding of the Space. Knowledge of the work being done in your niche can open doors and opportunities to key players. Create a Google alert (such as “homelessness AND Detroit” or “cancer AND yoga”) to receive daily or weekly emails with links to news stories using these keywords. You’ll start to learn who is making strides in the domain, and be able to reach out to those teams. Keep in mind that there are no competitors, as long as everyone has the same mission.

This is far from a comprehensive list of the amazing free tools out there. Please share! What have you used to launch and sustain a successful social enterprise?

 

Halle Tecco is the Founder and Executive Director of Yoga Bear, a non-profit providing more opportunities of health and wellness to cancer patients through the practice of yoga. Halle has worked as a Product Manager at various consumer-internet startups, including Enternships.com and Kiva.org. She also serves as an advisor to GreatNonprofits.org.

Tax Deductions 2011 - Does the Tiny Charitable Mileage Rate Need Increase?

Charitable donations of goods are a tax deduction, some car mileage is too.  The business mileage rate, however, is more than 4 times the tiny charitable mileage rate, which impacts millions.

Our mission at VolunteerSpot is to make volunteering easier for everyone, to get rid of the little hassles that make it harder for more people to sign up and help. Congress sets a tiny 14-cent per mile rate for charitable driving, this can force some people to stop volunteering. That's why we are working together with organizations and individuals everywhere who care about volunteers to fix the charitable mileage rate -- with a #TinyCars approach.  

Please watch this quick video:

Join us to create a unified voice on the charitable mileage rate issue.

Step 1: Tell Congress This Issue Matters via Non-Partisan PopVox

Congress Needs to See Public Input on the mileage rate issue - Encourage visible support for the mileage rate increase by using non-partisan PopVox to show Congress people care about this issue.

A bi-partisan bill HR 387 "Charitable Driving Tax Relief Act of 2011", sponsored by Rep Tom Petri (R-WI), Rep Donald Payne (D-NJ) and Rep John Duncan (R-TN), is the focus of our #TinyCars support. Nonprofits especially should register as organizations and show their support.

Step 2: Spread the Word

Share the message everywhere - email, blog, newsletter, pinterest, twitter, facebook.

Please always link to bit.ly/TinyCars (this page)

 

Twitter: Please schedule any of these sample tweets or write your own using hashtag #TinyCars and linking to this post at bit.ly/TinyCars :

Volunteers have Big Hearts NOT #TinyCars.  Plz watch this (fun) video & share bit.ly/TinyCars

I'm joining @VolunteerSpot to fix the tiny 14 cent #volunteer mileage rate; learn more and share bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Hey Congress, #TinyCars aren't good for volunteering! Pls watch and share this video: bit.ly/TinyCars

Time to Help Drive More Good - Congress Shouldn't Make #Volunteering Unaffordable bit.ly/TinyCars #TinyCars

Use the following twitter template to have different volunteers explain what they can’t do in Tiny Cars:

• Congress: School volunteers can't rebuild playgrounds in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars

• Congress: I help feed the hungry in my community and I can't drive meals in #TinyCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars

• Congress: Volunteer Firefighters can't carry equipment to brush fires in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars

• Congress: Animal rescuers can't move animals to adoption events in #TinysCars - fix the tiny mileage rate bit.ly/TinyCars

Read more Background on the Volunteer Mileage Tax Rate Discrepancy and Consequences:

"Could Stagnant mileage deduction drive volunteers away?" - MinnPost

American Institute of CPAs Calls for Increase to Charitable Mileage - SmartMoney

Volunteer Mileage Issue Overview - National Council of Nonprofits

Volunteer Mileage Talking Points - National Council of Nonprofits

Volunteer Mileage Rate Overview - Independent Sector

Sample Meals on Wheels volunteering statistics -Meals on Wheels of Northampton County, PA

Becky Stovall, Meals on Wheels Volunteer, discusses impact of high gas prices - USAToday

"High gas prices hit charities hard" - Marketplace, NPR/PRI 

 Volunteers Should Not Be Second-Class Taxpayers

Is the Rising Cost of Gas a Crisis or an Opportunity for Volunteering ...

VolunteerSpot's Summary of the charitable mileage rate issue:

Volunteers can't deliver meals to seniors, mentor kids, rescue animals, rebuild homes or respond to disasters in #TinyCars, yet Congress offers just a tiny 14 cents a mile tax deduction or allowable tax-free reimbursement for volunteers putting charitable mileage on their cars.  Unlike the business mileage rate, the charitable mileage rate is controlled solely by Congress, which set it in 1997 when gas cost $1.30 per gallon.

The actual mileage rate (what volunteers really spend) is more like 50 cents spent per mile donating their critical services.  With hard times squeezing personal budgets everywhere, some volunteers have been forced to make the difficult choice to stop donating their time when it requires driving.  The limited mileage deduction and mileage reimbursement allowed by Congress makes helping others unaffordable. By contrast, the 2011 business rate is set at 55.5 cents for the second half of 2011. It seems like Congress thinks Volunteers drive #TinyCars.

Thank you for joining us in support and celebration of America’s Volunteers!

~ Team VolunteerSpot

About VolunteerSpot:

With more than 1.2 million volunteers in service, VolunteerSpot is the leading FREE online coordination tool that lets ANYONE schedule, sign up and remind volunteers at school and in their  communities. We understand and applaud the investments of time, energy, and donations Volunteers everywhere willingly give - and everything we do is created to help them.   

Fresh Fundraising Ideas 2012

Fundraising | Raise More Money with Product Fundraisers

When your school needs to earn $10-20,000+ in a few weeks for new technology, or your marching band needs new uniforms, or the team needs travel money to play in the big tournament – product fundraisers are one of the best options.  They take much less volunteer muscle than a carnival or walkathon, and getting kids involved in supporting the school or group builds pride and ownership.

 

To get the scoop on fresh fundraising ideas, we met with the fine folks at the Association of Fund-Raising Distributors & Suppliers (AFRDS) conference in Orlando, FL. Professional product fundraisers help schools and clubs raise more than $2 BILLION per year and we learned there is definitely a seasoned art and skill in conducting a successful fundraiser.

Local professional fundraising representatives can help guide your group in choosing the best option for your community. Here are a few best-practices we picked up to boost participation and results in your fundraisers:

5 Tips for Successful Product Fundraisers

• Get the principal involved! A letter from the principal kicking off your fundraiser and explaining how it will help your school is a major parent motivator.  Include participation and target sales goals per family and where funds will be spent.
  
  
• Launch BIG. Fundraising reps are GREAT at getting students excited and ready to sell product to benefit your school or group – talk to him or her about hosting a kick-off with all the students.  For example, Dorothy and Harry Van Epps from Bumblebee Fundraising in Kentucky encourage younger students to go straight home and put their fundraising catalog in the refrigerator so mom and dad are sure to find it!

• Make transactions easy. The trend is moving away from pen-and-pencil order forms to online ordering, gift-cards, and on-the-spot transactions. Make it easy to also include orders and donations from out-of-town relatives via email or Facebook.
  
  
• Rewards and incentives work! Kids love prizes so choose carefully and they will work hard to earn them. Also add incentives like a pizza party or popcorn treat for the class or grade that gets the most participation.  Include a funny school-wide incentive for hitting a big participation and/or dollar milestone, such as the Principal shaving his head or having to come to school in pajamas.
  
  
• Parents matter! When planning product fundraisers, keep mom and dad in mind. What items would they want to buy for their families and give as gifts? What fundraisers will they ask their friends and coworkers to support?

What about the stuff?

Most fun at the conference was getting to see (and sample) all the options schools and groups have for product fundraisers. From delicious sweets and coffee, to gift items and frozen food, to useful every-day products – there was something for every appetite. Whether sold in a product catalog custom for your school, or as a stand-alone fundraiser – we’re in for some very cool products this coming year.

For moms – Decadent sugar-free chocolate banana treats from Buena Fe Chocolates,, reusable designer grocery bags from EnviroVogue, , luxury bed linens from Amadora (yes, sheets!), and potpourri from Ability Nation, a group that employs mentally disabled adults.

For dads – National and collegiate fanwear and spirit items wear from SuperFan, and a totally useful fundraiser of industrial-strength trash bags from Pitt Plastics.

Kids are going to love – Creative science activities and fun plants from DuneCraft, scented pencils and pens from Smencils and Snifty, and every kind of glowing and popping prize you can imagine.

Everyone will enjoy products from these trusted, well-known brands – World’s Finest Chocolate, Auntie Anne's Pretzels, Mrs. Fields Cookies, Hershey’s, Jack Links Beef Jerky and Little Ceasars Pizza Kits.

There were so many more awesome products – from decorative candles to pet supplies, housewares to cookies, snack foods to coupon books – we’re all in for a treat when the product catalogs come home this year! 

***

Find out more about product fundraising with AFRDS’ Product Fundraising Handbook and check out their Tool for Evaluating Fundraising Companies.  VolunteerSpot is proudly sponsored by fundraising companies, check out our website for fabulous Fundraising Ideas and scroll through our past blog articles on Fundraising for more fresh ideas and tips for raising money for your school or group!

 

 

Organize at Work | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

Are you at work reading this? If so, look down ... right now. What do you see around your work chair?

• A clear floor?
• Maybe a few active projects in piles?
• How about the overflow of "stuff" from your desk?

or maybe

You work from home, and the home office is a constant struggle. If you're lucky enough to have the space to dedicate to a home office?

Ugh.

Now what?

Organize at Work Problems:

I see two organize at work fundamental issues:

1. You've come into someone else's system, and it doesn't really work for you
2. You work from home & there is no pre-set system

Time to Organize at Work:

Then there's the whole time issue.

• When you travel to an office, you can't wait to get home :: who wants to hang around after hours to organize?
• When you work from home, you can't escape :: "I already feel like I work 24/7!"

Organize at Work Boundaries:

There I said it. Boundaries.

Admit it, you knew it was coming.

• Setting limits in a professional space for both your co-workers & yourself can go a long way when it comes to clutter.
• Establishing guidelines for yourself and others in the home can help you gain control over the chaos.

 

Organize at Work Client Story:

I once worked with an executive that used all surfaces as the potential filing system. {the couch, the chairs, the conference table, the desk, the top of filing cabinets, books on the bookshelves}

I was called in to help "organize" the space.

Taking one look around I immediately knew what the problem was.

This executive had inherited someone else's system. More importantly? It didn't work for the executive's organizing personality.

Once we realized the flow of the office and the filing system were the biggest concerns we set about re-arranging. EVERYTHING.   

1. First gathering piles, relocating them to a "staging area".
2. Then moving the furniture to a more comfortable layout
3. And finally, bringing piles in one at a time - assigning them a new home in files or project areas.

These solutions may seem simple, but trust me - the process took several weekends over the span of about 6 months.

So, "what happened to the executive?"

After our work together the executive felt so confident, a promotion was applied for & accepted!

Moral of the story?

• Take in the view.
• What is frustrating about the space?
• Do you respond with 'it's always been that way'?
• What can you change?

 

As for you Work-at-Home folks:

My best advice is to establish a space dedicated to productivity. Even if it's the coat closet.

Corral your work related clutter there.

Then, when you take care of domestic chores add the work space to your list.

Chipping away at the clutter of your workspace when you're in "home" mode can be effective as long as you don't get sucked into "work" mode.

Remember, when you work from home - you are the janitor as much as you are the CEO.

 

I'd love to hear more over on the VolunteerSpot Facebook Page:

What organize at work tips {or struggles} have you had?

 

Keepin in Tidy,

April

 

P.S. If you're interested in more tips you can join the DIY Club - with daily, weekly or monthly emails! 

 

April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect

Benjamin Franklin’s Charitable Mileage

Benjamin Franklin was born January 17 more than 300 years ago, and his inventions and achievements continue to have an enormous impact on our lives. He focused his ingenuity on things to improve the public good, for the public good, just like volunteers everywhere do.

Most famous for his discoveries with electricity, did you know Franklin also created the public library system, the Philadelphia volunteer fire department and the US postal service?  He even invented the odometer to measure the mileage travelled making postal deliveries.

Volunteers today put miles on cars rather than horse drawn wagons -- we may even be headed to help at one of the many public libraries in our communities, or responding to a disaster as one of 800,000 volunteer firefighters across the US, both direct legacies of Ben Franklin.

Although many of us don’t count how much mileage we log while driving to and from our volunteer gigs, other volunteers and the organizations they serve do keep track. To support these charitable efforts, the IRS will allow a charitable mileage deduction -- but it's just a tiny 14 cents per mile for volunteers and Congress hasn’t increased the rate since 1997 -- when gas cost $1.30 per gallon! In contrast, business drivers can deduct 55.5 cents per mile and their deduction is reset by the IRS every six months. That's unfair!

It makes you wonder if Congress thinks volunteers drive #TinyCars and business folks drive regular ones.

This has a significant impact on the ability of non profits to recruit and retain the volunteers they need to provide service while driving their personal vehicle - think Meals on Wheels, Red Cross disaster response, and volunteer firefighters.

So in honor of Ben Franklin’s birthday, VolunteerSpot is announcing it's time for a change! We'll be asking volunteers everywhere to lend your voice to help fix the volunteer mileage rate! 

Stay tuned for more information this tax season about #TinyCars and how you can help!

Thank you!

~ Team VolunteerSpot

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | January 16th, 2012

Celebrating a Legacy in Service

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?” 

  - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

It is a humbling honor to join with all Americans today in remembering Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and celebrating his legacy through service.  On this special day, please consider volunteering in your community or taking time to give back in any way with random acts of kindness.

Learn more about the National Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service.

Check out ways to get your family involved in simple service today.

 

VolunteerSpotlight : Gayle Phillips, Director of Development, Northern Lights Health Foundation

The Northern Lights Health Foundation was established in 1985 as the lead non-profit fundraising organization to support Alberta Health Services in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo.  The Northern Lights Health Foundation connects people with the opportunity to have a direct and positive impact on health care in their community.  

Today, our spotlight shines on Gayle Phillps, who uses VolunteerSpot to coordinate it's many volunteers who help out with various events.

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Please tell us about your event and your volunteer needs.
The Festival of Trees is an annual three-day event that kicks off the holiday season, with uniquely decorated Christmas trees, great entertainment, family fun, an elegant gala and wonderful opportunities to get into the holiday spirit and support our local health care.  Our annual special events depend on generous community minded individuals and groups who graciously give their time, some year after year, to these worthy events.  The 2011 Festival of 
Trees alone took approximately 360 volunteers putting in over 2,800 hours.

How did you get started as a volunteer leader?
I’ve been a resident of Fort McMurray since 1999, raising my family here.  Having children, you fundraise for and support their activities all the time!  I am involved in different volunteer opportunities such as serving on boards and volunteering at events or organizations. Volunteering is a way of giving back to and supporting my community.  In my role as Director of Development at the Northern Lights Health Foundation, I really just volunteered to lead volunteer recruitment. We have four fundraising events each year, none of which would be possible without the time and support of our volunteers.

What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?
Volunteering is so important in any community.  Many non-profit organizations rely on volunteers not only for special events, but for program delivery.  Volunteers donate their time, the most valuable asset that one can give.  As a volunteer lead, your volunteers look to you for support and guidance.  Appreciating your volunteers is critical.  You need to recognize each volunteer as an individual.  Are they volunteering because they need volunteer hours for school?  Are they there because they want to support your cause?  Whatever the reason, you need to engage each and every volunteer and connect them to the purpose and cause of the organization.

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
One of the activities that my children participate in uses VolunteerSpot for their small events, so I thought I would give it a try.  I found VolunteerSpot extremely easy to use and it really takes the work out of recruiting.  You have one master list that you can access from any computer (or phone!), instead of trying to create an excel spreadsheet and then having to transfer all the volunteer data to the sheet.  VolunteerSpot even reminds your volunteers of their assigned duties! 

Anything else you’d like our readers to know about your event/organization or volunteering?
The Northern Lights Health Foundation (NLHF), in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS), its donors, volunteers and stakeholders raises funds to enhance quality health and wellness services for all residents of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB).

The Northern Lights Health Foundation mission:  In close partnership with AHS, our donors, volunteers and stakeholders, the NLHF raises and allocates funds to enhance quality health and wellness services for all residents of the RMWB.  Supporters of the organization range from individuals, volunteers, and small to medium-sized businesses to large corporations who operate within the RMWB. Support is given in various forms including event sponsorship, individual and business gifts to the annual appeal, gifts made in memory or tribute, and corporate gifts to support programs and/or equipment purchases.

To learn more, visit the Northern Lights Health Foundation's website.

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We salute Gayle and all the other volunteer leaders out there making a difference. If you're using VolunteerSpot, write and tell us about what you're doing and give us a chance to shine our Volunteer Spotlight on you!! Just email us at VS@volunteerspot.com.

How to Organize | Tidy Thursday

by April Welch, The Mental Clutter Coach

Looking for the elusive How To Organize tips?

Yup, it's that time of year.

Unfortunately, it's also about that time of the month where most good intentions have fallen back into life as usual.

Don't worry, I've got tips to help re-energize your motivation!

All week, over on The Mental Clutter Coach, I've been talking about those catch-all spots in our homes :: the entryway, the stairs and the wonderful hallway.

I've also walked you through what's going on with that amazing pile of clothes you always end up with at the end of the day - week - month.

There's even a visual how to organize piece on hangers ... go check it out, I'll wait.

Back? Okay, good.

With the first week of January all about the spaces you see first thing and the second week all about where you land I thought I would give you a few ideas on how to organize that dining room table and chairs that seem to always attract the most fantastic clutter!

How to Organize :: Dining Room Table

In most situations, the dining room table is either a place for meals and conversations or a flat surface that aids in the fluid chaos of a household.

If you're still reading, I'm guessing you're one of the fluid chaos folks.

Truth is, once you get in the habit of 'dumping' stuff on the table - it's REALLY hard to stop.

Setting limitations on yourself rarely works. However, finding a way to redirect the habit can help.

• Consider
  • when you're about to put something on the table, ask "does this actually belong somewhere else?"
  • then determine, "why am I not putting it there?"
  • Don't worry if you discover you're dumping on the table because you don't know where to put something ... that's the part that makes it a catch-all.

When you have a focused effort to declutter you'll begin to flush out the habits that contribute.

How to Organize :: Dining Room Chairs

Inevitably, if your table is a catch-all your chairs might be as well. The good news? It's a much smaller space to declutter.

Working on one chair at a time can be highly rewarding and give you a needed boost to keep it up.

1. pick a chair
2. grab things that belong somewhere
3. put them away
4. move onto the next chair

Worried about the leftovers? Then take a few minutes to evaluate their purpose.

• why do I have this?
• when will I need this again?
• where does it make sense to put it?

Getting stuck is all part of the process, working through the answers is the path to the solution.

Are you a fan of the VolunteerSpot Facebook Page? Join me for a conversation, I'd love to see some before and after photos, if you're up for it!

What "how to organize" tips have changed your life?

 

Keepin it Tidy,

April

 

April is a Mental Clutter Expert | Mom of 2 boys | Wife to 1 Fireman | Horrible Cook | Loyal Friend | National Public Speaker who gives you permission to be imperfect