Minnesota's St. Louis Park Emergency Program (STEP) has evolved into a community-wide resource serving the basic needs of more than 1,600 people each month. STEP is more than just a food shelf; it provides a full-service resource for people in need and helps people by providing advocacy, referrals, and going the extra mile to serve those who are most vulnerable in our community.
Today, our spotlight shines on Kate M. Burggraff, Volunteer Coordinator and Food Shelf Manager for STEP.
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Please tell us about yourself and your current role at STEP.
I am a full time paid staff person at STEP. I spend 30 hours per week as volunteer coordinator and 10 hours as food coordinator. As the Volunteer Coordinator, I work with volunteer groups and individuals, supporting their efforts here at STEP. This includes volunteer screening, training, scheduling, and general support. As Food Manager, I make sure there is food on the shelf for families in need. STEP serves the area of St. Louis Park in Minnesota, providing 850 families with food. We also hold seasonal programs for back to school, Thanksgiving, and other special times of the year.
How did you get started in this role?
When I graduated from college, I took a position at AmeriCorps VISTA (the national service program designed specifically to fight poverty) for two years, and worked at an after school volunteer mentoring program. I also had some experience working with a food pantry. I loved working with a wide variety of people in these roles, and wanted to continue along this path. This role is very meaningful to my community and can be transformational to people who volunteer as they learn about their community.
Tell us aboutSTEP and your specific volunteer needs.
STEP is open Monday through Friday, so we need volunteers to help out during operating hours, and behind the scenes. Our volunteers stock the food shelves, help families shop, and check them out when they are done. Our volunteers also work in our clothes closet. They sort the donated clothing, hang it up, and help families shop. The volunteer at the front desk answers the phone, greets people as they come through the door, answers questions, and schedules appointments. We have volunteers behind the scenes, doing data entry and supporting ongoing functions of the office. Our goal is to engage volunteers of all ages, and from all walks of life, so we try and offer a variety of scheduling options for volunteers to work.
Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?
VolunteerSpot has been invaluable to us. First, it takes much of the scheduling work off of my plate. Instead of emailing me, volunteers simply follow the link to VolunteerSpot and can sign up on their own. It has streamlined the process, especially as our email list grows. VolunteerSpot allows us to be very clear about our needs, by allowing volunteers to see exactly what we need, and when. We want this to be a reciprocal relationship and helpful to our volunteers; we want them to have meaningful work. When they can see the entire schedule on VolunteerSpot, they can choose what interests them, and what fits into their schedule. Even though 30 people might want to volunteer on a certain day, they can see that we don’t have enough for them to do, so this shows them exactly what our needs are. We appreciate their interest but there are limits.
What's one piece of advice you have for other volunteer organizers out there?
People who are leading volunteers are in an exciting place. They have a lot on their plate, and what’s been most valuable for me is to network with other volunteer leaders. Making connections with other volunteer organizers in my community helps me find better ways to be organized and thoughtful for our volunteer programs. Here in Minnesota, we have a group called The Minnesota Association for Volunteer Administration (MAVA). This group gives me a place to share ideas and network, so that I can provide the best support for volunteers at STEP.
Anything else you’d like our readers to know about volunteering?
I appreciate that VolunteerSpot provides various levels of services for organizations. Smaller groups can use it for free, and those who need more resources, and/or have more resources, can utilize the more advanced features. Thanks for making my job that much easier!
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For more information about STEP, please visit www.STEPslp.org, or www.facebook.com/STEPslp
We salute Kate and all the volunteer coordinators out there, making a difference in your community. 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 [email protected].
