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Bullying Prevention

Resources for Bullying Prevention

With an extensive background in education advocacy and service, MomCongress Delegate Jennifer DeFranco stands up with a strong voice against bullying in schools, and provides an array of resources for preventing bullying and bringing it to a stop.

Bullying Prevention Mentor: Jennifer DeFranco (This post originally appeared on Parenting.com)

Get information on how to effectively prevent bullying in schools from Jennifer DeFranco, the 2010 Mom Congress Illinois delegate. 

 Jennifer DeFranco, the 2010 Mom Congress Illinois delegate, is a mother of two children in the public schools in Northeastern, IL – ages 11 and 8.  She is active in the community, school district and PTA.  She has served as PTA President, VP of Legislation, VP of Membership, and she recently developed a classroom based volunteer program at her children’s elementary school (TEAM) that she is coordinating and maintaining  to assist with learning gaps in reading and math within the student population.  She currently serves as the Membership/Marketing Director for the Illinois PTA, serves as a member of the Illinois State Board of Education Standardized Testing Review Committee, is coach for both her children’s soccer teams, is a Girl Scout leader for 22 - 5^thgrade girls, volunteers at a local PADS (Public Action to Display Shelter) Homeless shelter, and previously served as the Vacation Bible School Director for her church. She also serves as a member of the Navigate 15 Community Engagement Facilitation Team for CCSD15, which serves more than 13,000 Elementary and Junior High students in Palatine, IL. 

Additionally, in 2008, she worked to secure a Proclamation proclaiming Bullying Prevention Awareness Week from the Governor of Illinois and the Mayor of Palatine.  She spearheaded efforts for the week in October and continues to work to support anti-bullying efforts in her district and throughout her state.   Her work was highlighted in the companion book for the movie Waiting for Superman and she was awarded Senate Recognition from the State of Illinois for her ongoing efforts favoring anti-bullying legislation in Illinois. 

Find out more about Jennifer over on Parenting.com and check out her list of online resources below.

Resources for Bullying Prevention:

• StopBullying.gov
• PTA.org Bullying Resources
• StopBullyingNow.com
• StopCyberBullying.org
• Cyberbully.org
• CyberBullyHelp.org
• Office of Safe and Drug Free Schools
• James Howe, author of The Misfits
• No Name Calling Week
• Plushy Feely Corp

 

Related Links:

When the Bullied Strike Back: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/melanie-parentingcom/bullying-schools?src=syn&dom=vol

Shocking Way Bullying Affects Child Development: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/show-and-tell/jordan-parenting/study-bullying-causes-kids-age-faster?src=syn&dom=vol

Handling My Child's Preschool Bully: http://www.parenting.com/article/how-to-handle-preschool-bullies?src=syn&dom=vol

The High Cost of High School Dances: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/mom-congress/melissa-taylor/forget-college-save-prom-0?src=syn&dom=vol

 

Volunteer Recruitment

10 Ways to Pump Up Your Volunteer Webpage

If you’re reading this, volunteers are likely an important part of your organization’s operations. When people come to the website of your nonprofit, school or organization, is it obvious how much you value and welcome volunteers? 

As the coordination experts, our free volunteer scheduling software helps nonprofits, schools and faith groups recruit and manage volunteers, but that’s just one piece of the equation!  The formula for cultivating champions for your organization’s mission includes finding volunteers, getting them onboard, helping them succeed, and recognizing their efforts.  Use your volunteer web page to build an authentic volunteer community online and in the real world!

10 creative ideas for taking your volunteer webpage from passable to powerful!

1.  Link it from your homepage:  Don't stick your volunteer page link in the bottom corner of your homepage - make it visible and easily accessible.  Top your side bar with the link or include it in the navigation bar so visitors to your site see it readily available and are incited to click through.

Habitat For Humanity lists all their important links right at
the top of their homepage, calling visitors to action!

2.  Pictures:  Digital images are a great way to both reflect the vibrancy and life of your volunteer group as well as invite others to join in on the fun!  Make sure you have volunteers taking photos during your events and include captions, locations, and names (if permitted by volunteers) when posting.

3.  Social Media:  Post widgets linking to your social media accounts like facebook, twitter and Pinterest.   Map out available space and consider including a running social media feed so volunteers can see what you are sharing and doing with your community.

4.  Video:  Post short, intriguing videos or slideshows to introduce volunteers to your organization's mission and needs, to orient them to what is expected of volunteers, or to give them a look into a day of volunteering for your organization.  We love this video from Project Angel Food in Los Angeles, CA.

5.  Testimonials:  Encourage current volunteers to submit their stories and reasons for volunteering for your organization in writing.  Post their full pieces or specific quotes which can stand out on your webpage.

Keller Williams devotes an entire web page to their national annual day of service, Red Day!

6.  Donations:  Don't miss this vital landing spot for a link to donate to your group/organization.  Visitors to your webpage are already looking to do good, and after checking out your awesome page, they may want to lend a proverbial hand right away with a donation. This example is from the Captial Area Foodbank in Austin, TX.

7.  Volunteer Recognition:  Run a series of appreciation ideas, whether it is acknowledging one stand out volunteer each month, posting text and photos from an appreciation party, or displaying a picture of a VIV (Very Important Volunteer) every week.

8.  FAQ:  Let volunteers know more with a link to a fact sheet which includes dates of your volunteer needs, what they can expect from the experience, whether back ground checks or other formalities are required, contact information for coordinators, if there are incentives like free t-shirts for a larger event, etc.

 

Manna Food Bank gives volunteers the facts and illustrates the unique service
volunteers do for the community through their organization. 

9.  Running Tallies:  Make sure your volunteer webpage is illustrating the good your organization is doing in the community with hard numbers and facts.  Whether it's food boxes filled, books collected for local schools, or hours served helping animals in the shelter, let visitors know the impact your volunteer efforts are having in the big picture.

10.  Online Sign Up:  Link straight to your VolunteerSpot sign up sheet(s) from your volunteer webpage so people can get involved with a click!  Post the URL or embed a web button to grab more attention to available opportunities.

Memorial Day 2012

"Heroism feels and never reasons, and therefore is always right."

- Ralph Waldo Emerson

We pay tribute to the fallen this Memorial Day.  In honor of those heroic men and women who selflessly gave of themselves to protect the lives of others, we remember and honor
their service.

 

 

Find ways to make a difference and celebrate Veterans this Memorial Day from HandsOnNetwork.

Classroom Party Ideas

End of Year Classroom Party Ideas

By:  Sue Kirchner of ChocolateCakeMoments.com

The last day of school is meant to be celebrated. Kids and teachers are eagerly looking forward to some summer fun and let’s face it, no one wants to do school work today. Some last days of school are only a couple of hours long so there isn’t a whole lot of time for lessons.  Why not plan some fun activities for the kids in the classroom, so they remember their last day of school party just as much as their summer break? Here are some ideas to get teachers and students smiling!

T-Shirt Memories

Have every child bring in a plain white t-shirt. Get some fabric markers and have everyone in class sign their name, write a fun note, or draw a picture on each kid’s t-shirt. It’s a great memento to keep.

Summer Scavenger Hunt

Have the Room Moms bring in some little summer-themed trinkets and hide them around the room for the kids to find.  Look around your house for items or see what you can find at the dollar store. Seashells, swimming goggles, sidewalk chalk, lemonade stand sign, and a pail and shovel are all things that can be hidden in the room. Hand each child a list of items they need to find and let them hunt. Or, have each child find one item and sit at their desk. When all of the items are found, let each child stand up and say what they would do with the item they found over the summer.

The ABCs of the School Year

For a fun activity, give the kids a sheet of paper with all of the letters of the alphabet going down the left side. Then ask them to write something they remember about the school year for each letter. A is for the art fair. B is for our butterfly garden, etc.

Fun Last Day of School Stories

You can take this time to read the kids some fun summer books like Bats at the Beach by Brian Lies or Arthur’s Family Vacation by Marc Brown. Older kids (4^th grade and up) will love listening to Bill Harley’s stories about school and summer from his new CD High Dive. Or download his story Mrs. Ammons and the Boys Room which is all about the last day of school. His fabulous stories always have kids and adults laughing out loud.

Write some notes

Although this might be sneaking in some writing practice, you can still have fun by having the kids write a letter to next year’s students on what they loved most about this grade or their teacher and what to expect in this new grade. Or, have the kids write thank you notes to the school helpers like the office staff, nurse, custodian or even the room Moms for all of their help throughout the year.

Mock Summer Olympics

 The Summer Olympics will take place in London this year so get the kids into a competitive spirit with a Mock Summer Olympics Game. Sack races, relay races, long jump and paddle ball competitions are always fun. Have the kids make Olympic Torches and Gold, Silver and Bronze Medals to hand out to the winners. Here are more ideas for games for your Mock Summer Olympics.

 Have a super fun last day of school this year. Here are some fun and easy ideas on how to make it a family tradition to celebrate the last day of school at home with your own kids.

Photo Courtesy of Kaboose.com

Sue Kirchner is the founder of ChocolateCakeClub.com and ChocolateCakeMoments.com, where she sells products and shares ideas that help busy families have more fun together, so they can have more ‘Chocolate Cake Moments’ – when they are smiling, relaxed, and enjoying their family time. Sue and her family fun ideas have been featured on TV, magazines, newspapers, and family blogs. Check out her other kids’ party and family fun ideas at ChocolateCakeMoments.com.

 

Organize your parent volunteers fast and easy with free online sign up sheets!

Volunteer Management

Managing Volunteers 101

This post originally appeared on the HandsOnNetwork Blog on May 11th, 2012

Without volunteers, most non-profit organizations would cease to exist or suffer a drastic reduction in capacity to serve communities and achieve the organization’s mission. Therefore, a refresher course in basic volunteer management is always in order! The way you plan your service projects will significantly affect the success of your volunteer recruitment. The best way to increase your volunteer base is to retain current volunteers; retention is simply a matter of making volunteers feel good about themselves and their service. Class is now convened! Read on for a few key volunteer management reminders.

Accommodate Volunteers’ Schedules

Just as volunteers come from different backgrounds and community groups, they also have a wide variety of schedules. In order to engage the highest number of volunteers, consider ways to coordinate service events for people with varying schedules, needs, and interests.

• Include volunteer efforts at different times of day and different days of the week.
• Have flexible hours or recruit volunteers to serve in shifts instead of an entire day.
• Plan projects around multiple impact areas or diverse opportunities within a single issue.
• Offer family-friendly projects in which parents and their children can serve together.
• Provide opportunities for first-time volunteers and for volunteers with more advanced skills.
• Plan projects for individuals and for groups.
• Include indoor and outdoor projects.
• Offer short-term and long-term projects.

Communication & Motivation

From the very beginning of volunteers’ involvement in your service activities, you should maintain good communication with them. Motivate them to stay interested and involved in your project with a few simple steps:

• Be prompt in your response to phone calls/e-mails. Return volunteer calls or e-mails within 24 hours.
• Be thorough in your explanation of the volunteer duties. Volunteers will be more likely to sign up if they know exactly what they will be doing, and they will know what to expect at the project.
• Use this opportunity to teach potential volunteers about the issue area, the community service organization they will be serving, and the potential impact of the project.
• Use their names often; this helps develop a personal connection.
• Keep the commitments you make. People will not support you if you don’t provide information requested, address issues they bring up, and/or miss scheduled appointments.

Cultivate Reflection

Reflection is an important part of offering closure to a project. Reflection allows volunteers to stop for a moment, think about what they’ve accomplished, share their experiences, and offer feedback for future projects or ideas for how they will continue to address the social issue. Reflection is designed to encourage volunteers to examine the project so that they see the impact of their service. Understanding how their service impacts the community will encourage volunteers to be involved in future projects.

Sample questions for reflection discussion:

• What did you learn today—about the agency, your fellow volunteers, the service recipients, or yourself?
• How do you feel about the project? Was it worthwhile? Was it time well spent?
• What would you change about this project?
• Do you plan to take future action related to this issue?
• What other ideas or opinions can you offer this program or project?

 

HandsOnNetwork inspires, equips and mobilizes people to take action that
changes the world!

Early Education | Parenting Mondays

What's Working in Washington: Strong Early Education

By: Renee Berry  (This post originally appeared on Parenting.com, March 14th, 2012)

The greatest joy that I can share as both a mother and a child advocate is working in a field that brings light into my day, laughter into my heart and reward to my life’s purpose.  I work and play each day as a preschool teacher and director of Evergreen Christian School in Olympia, Washington.

I strongly believe that early education is the key to building a successful foundation of learning in our country. The early years are a critical time for both learning and development. Studies show that the capacity of the brain to absorb new information peaks at age 3 and that a toddler’s brain develops over one hundred trillion brain synapses. A brain synapse is the "wiring" between two brain cells that grasps new ideas. The more the synapses in a child’s brain, the more the child’s brain will learn! It is during this critical time that the human brain has the highest potential for learning in its lifetime. High-quality preschools and pre-kindergartens are geared to give children a jumpstart in learning. Most of these preschools have standards in place to prepare children for kindergarten, so that on the first day of school, learning is fostered. Appropriate early childhood programs not only help a child's brain develop in a timely fashion, they also contribute to physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, and social development. I am blessed to work at a high-quality preschool and witness the fruits of early education.  I am thankful that my state places a strong emphasis on early learning and I am seeing great progress and legislation that supports it with the help of the Washington State Department of Early Learning.

PLUS: Resources for Bullying Prevention in Schools

Washington State’s Department of Early Learning recognizes the significance of early education and is putting its energy and resources into laying a strong foundation for its children. The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge helps with the funding of early education programs.

 "To win the future, our children need a strong start. The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge encourages states to develop bold and comprehensive plans for raising the quality of early learning programs across America." - U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.  

PLUS: Confessions of an Inner-City School Teacher

On December 16, 2011, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius announced the winners—including Washington—of the $500 million Race to the Top grant to support bold and comprehensive state plans for raising the quality of early learning programs. The Department of Early Learning led Washington's application for the grant, which will bring $60 million for the state over four years to support early learning.

PLUS: What Teachers Really Want Parents to Know

The Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grant competition focuses on improving early learning and development programs for young children by supporting states' efforts to:

• Increase the number and percentage of low-income and disadvantaged children in each age group of infants, toddlers, and preschoolers who are enrolled in high-quality early learning programs;
• Design and implement an integrated system of high-quality early learning programs and services; and
• Ensure that any use of assessments conforms with the recommendations of the National Research Council's reports on early childhood.

Race to the Top-Early Learning Challenge grants were awarded to states that are leading the way with ambitious yet achievable plans for implementing coherent, compelling, and comprehensive early learning education reform.

As our communities throughout our nation consider solutions for economic growth, early education quickly rises to the top of the list. Research proves that the highest impact and lasting investment we can make—both in the classroom and throughout life—is before our children walk through the doors of a classroom. Children entering kindergarten ready to learn are more likely to graduate from high school, engage in postsecondary education, earn more throughout their lives, and contribute more to their communities. These benefits are seen throughout the community in the forms of a better educated workforce with higher earning potential, greater economic stability, and a prepared talent pool attractive to growing businesses and innovative industries.

What can you do? The best way to help is to be informed and be involved in early education issues in your community. What can you do NOW to benefit the children in your life? Here are some great ideas from the DEL website:

• Read to a child, even after the child has learned to read on her own.
• Parenting is a challenge. Praise a parent when you get a chance.
• Donate a copy of a children’s book you love to a child care or youth program.
• Remind a child that everyone makes mistakes.
• Take your child on an "I Spy" walk around the neighborhood.
• Turn up the music and dance with a child in your life.
• Pack a picnic and head out to a local music festival or concert in the park.
• Celebrate a holiday or special occasion from another culture with your child.
• Ask a child in your life about her day and really listen to her answer.
• Volunteer at school…or volunteer anywhere. Anything that makes our community better is good for children.
• Take a hike. Getting outdoors is healthy and teaches children about nature.
• Practice compassion and tolerance in your life. Children will notice.
• Find a healthy, kid-friendly recipe and cook a meal together (be sure the adult handles any sharp or hot kitchen tools).
• Teach a child in your life how to write a thank-you note.
• When playing with a young child, let her direct the play and make up the rules.
• Be informed about how your community invests in libraries, public schools, parks, nutrition programs, and other services that promote healthy child development.
• Make history come alive. Talk to a child in your life about a historical event that fascinated you as a child.
• Sing in the car with your children on the way to child care or school – a great start to the day.
• Take your child grocery shopping with you. Let him choose new fruits or vegetables to try, and ask him to help find items on your list.
• Let your child help with simple chores, such as dusting or setting the table.
• Get out an old family photo album and go through it with your child.
• Have an indoor picnic with your child on a rainy day.
• Help a child in your life plant flowers, herbs, or veggies in a pot.

Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the great engine to personal development.  It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that the child of a farm worker can become the president of a great nation.” The truth of this statement rings true with the importance of early education; my passion and my heart.

About the Author:

Renee Berry is the Preschool Director of Evergreen Christian School in Olympia, Washington. For the past eleven years, she has created a program that instills the importance of early literacy. She is also laying the foundation of reading and community service, which go hand in hand with the organization that she co-created: Books Make It Better. Books Make It Better, a grass roots, mom-powered book drive was launched into a national movement in 2011 and has distributed over 3,145 books into the greater Olympia area. Renee has also launched a parenting resource, Parenting Plus Purpose, which provides parenting classes, resources, development sources, devotions, and support. Serving as the 2011 Washington State Mom Congress Delegate has been a life-changing and inspiring event that helped fuel her passions in serving Washington’s families. She is the mom of two high-energy teenagers and is supported in all of her endeavors by her husband, Jason.

 

Related Links from Parenting.com:

The High Cost of High School Dances: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/mom-congress/melissa-taylor/forget-college-save-prom-0?src=syn&dom=vol

Are Girls Scared of Doing Math? http://www.parenting.com/blogs/mom-congress/linda-rodgers/girls-and-math?src=syn&dom=vol

The Sorry State of School Lunches: http://www.parenting.com/article/the-sorry-state-of-school-lunches?src=syn&dom=vol

Arne Duncan’s 5 Tips for School Success: http://www.parenting.com/blogs/mom-congress/ana-parenting/raise-smarter-kid?src=syn&dom=vol

Sign Up Sheet | Feature Friday

Pass the Baton Stress-Free!

Free online sign up sheets already make it easy to organize volunteer needs and let volunteers sign up at their convenience.  We're now making it even simpler to pass those schedules on to new and additional organizers!  Whether it's an end-of-school-year transfer, or passing on the responsibility to a new summer event coordinator, new features and top of the line functionality helps you do it in a matter of minutes!  Check out how below as well ideas for making the coordinator switch a breeze!

1. Quick Copy - easily duplicate your activity signup sheet or calendar from last year to this year. Build on your own best practices for organizing swim meet volunteers, field day,graduation and large event fundraisers like tournaments, festivals and races. 

VolunteerSpot Activity List (Organizer View): Click the yellow + symbol by your sign up in your activity list to duplicate it to this year without volunteer assignments and give it a new name.

2.  Copy on Same Calendar - Keeping your current sign up and just want to copy past schedules to new future dates?  Rely on our base copy function that lets you accomplish this quickly!

Online Sign Up Calendar (Organizer View):  Click the clipboard date on your calendar and select Copy from the drop down menu.  Choose new dates in the pop up window and Copy - you will be prompted to copy assignments or not!

* * * * *

Bringing new organizers onto your VolunteerSpot sign ups, or expanding your online sign up use in your school or organization?  Here are some tips for welcoming new coordinators and making them feel comfortable with new technology!

1.  Don't tell them it's going to be easy.  You know an online sign up is simple to set up, use, and have volunteers sign up with, but the learning curve for technology varies from person to person. 

Don't make the new organizer feel "dumb" because they do not initially understand the best way to use VolunteerSpot's online sign up tool.  Instead, sit down with them for an overview and let them know you are free if they have any questions!

2.   Encourage them to look around!  Share our video tour, Help desk, and demo activities so they can get a better feel before they fully approach taking over the ongoing online sign up.

3.  Emphasize what a time-saver it is!  After the initial overview, emphasize to new organizers and coordinators how much time and energy they will save so even the most hesitant can get on board!  Spending less time making phone calls and sending emails means more time to do more GOOD!

Family Reunion Ideas

Organizing Family Reunions with Free Online Sign Up Sheets

Summer means sunshine, school's out, and vacation!  If your summer plans involve meeting up with extended family for a big reunion, here are a few important questions to ask as you begin planning your event:

• How big is this event going to be? There's a huge difference between having ten people over for dinner and organizing an event for 50-100.

• When is it going to be? Working around everyone's schedule can challenging. Find the day that works best for the majority of people, then stick with it. Here's how VolunteerSpot can help in finding the best meeting time for your family reunion.

• Where is it going to be held? Larger parties need more space, and likely a reservation at a public park or recreation center. If you choose to rent a venue, like a dude ranch, a banquet room or a large lake house, will expenses be split evenly or paid by a few?

• What are the family age ranges and activity level? Will anyone require special accomodations such as wheelchair accessible facilities or exta shade/air conditioning?  Will there be interest in team activiites such as softball, soccer, and flag football or individual social activities like fishing, swimming, kayaking and bike riding?  For small children, consider renting inflatbles such as a bounce house or giant slide; even the adults may join in!  

• What's the budget and price sensitivity of the group? Is yours a bring-your-own/pot-luck kind of family or will you be hiring a caterer? Will this be a one-day event or overnight(s) requiring accomodations?  Is everyone expected to chip in, or will a few pay for the rest?

Once you've got the detailes figured out,  free online sign up sheets will save your time, stress and data-plan minutes getting everyone organized and pitching in. Have family members sign up online 24/7 from their computer or smartphone, collect their t-shirt sizes, and find out where everyone wants to go!

Family Reunion Sign Up Sheet (Participant View)

* * * * *

Family reunion t-shirts are a novelty that can't be overlooked!  Get your designs ready and then grab sizes for each family member when they sign up online to help with meals and activities!

Family Reunion Sign Up Sheet (Participant View)

*Note:  Extra information fields available with our Premium version.  Add up to 5 fields for each activity so you can ask for children's t-shirt sizes too!

* * * * *

Lastly, find out what everyone is interested in doing when it comes to reunion outings by setting up a "outing interest sign up"!  List possible excursions that apply to the city/town you're reunion is taking place and let family members "vote" for their top picks.

Family Reunion Sign Up Sheet (Organizer View):

 

 

 

photo courtesy of PhotoBucket, findstuff22

Charity Auction Procurement

Ten Tips for Getting Items Year Round

By: Sherry Truhlar of RedAppleAuctions

One of the reasons charity auctions become overwhelming is due to the amount of work required at the last minute.  Managing a guest list, coordinating volunteers, decorating the room, overseeing vendors of food, entertainment, production, and so forth are all simultaneously handled. 

And if a group hasn’t done a good job of halting procurement a few weeks prior, it also means that items are still being requested and received, even while the deadline for the catalog printing has passed.

When a group doesn’t do a good job of managing procurement, volunteers feel out of control.  To ease the inevitable aggravation, start procuring quality items year round, using these tips.

1.  During your auction's off-season, spend some time concentrating on building out your auction notebook.  The procurement section should include names, addresses and results from last year’s procurement.  Organize now to make it easy to find information later.

2.  After the charity auction, take time to write a wrap-up letter to donors with an additional thank you and auction results.  It will help plant the seed for next year’s ask.

3.  Many corporations have a budget for giving.  They allocate it via a “first come, first serve" approach.  You'll want your organization's letter to be one of the first letters received in January when the budget renews (or July, for some fiscal calendars).  Spend the fall collecting the contacts and putting the letters together so they are received on January 2.

4.  Build your contact list by following your community's business section for new businesses opening.  Flag those contacts in your database so you can customize a letter to them related to their first year in business.

5.  Subscribe to at least one magazine or blog that targets your audience – or a developing section of your audience -so you can be more educated about their interests.  For example, if you intend to target an audience of 30-something men, make sure to read about electronics and technology.  You’ll key in on several items to add to your ask list that will be attractive to those guests.

6.  Year round, have regular – if not as frequent – teleconferences with your committee to discuss procurement.  Discussion of past or upcoming school /nonprofit events can be a time to brainstorm on who will be there and what they said.  “Julie is going on vacation to Mexico,” you might learn, “We should ask them if they’ll ask the hotel for a donation.”

7.  Have a meeting with your big spenders about a month after the auction.  See what their plans are for the upcoming two years.  Is someone remodeling the kitchen, traveling to Hawaii, or organizing a 50^th anniversary?  Start working on finding a package to address their needs now.  You might be able to procure it – and they buy it – at your next year’s auction.

8.  Send reminders to all key committee members before major holidays/breaks when they’ll likely be around family.  “Don’t forget to ask your brother / parents / sisters for use of their condo when you see them over Thanksgiving,” you can write.

9.  Every Monday, email your team two procurement ideas from my Auction Item Guide TM (It’s free.  Claim yours on my website.).  Keeping new, creative ideas in front of your team on a regular basis will start to penetrate their consciousness.  They’ll naturally be on the lookout for ideas.

10.  To keep it fresh, consider focusing on a different theme every month.  Travel now ... food next.

Once you’ve secured your larger items earlier, you’ll be more at ease.  It’s easier to handle little issues when the big issues are resolved. 

(c) Red Apple Auctions Co.  All Rights Reserved.

About the author:

Fundraising auctioneer Sherry Truhlar, CMP, BAS, CAI is featured in national publications for her trend-setting work with auction fundraisers.  She teaches auction chairs easy ways to improve an auction’s financial return.  Start improving your auction today by getting her FREE Auction Item Guide TM.  The Guide lists the 100 top-selling items sold for over value in charity auctions.  Claim your FREE copy at http://www.RedAppleAuctions.com.

Mother's Day Donations

Celebrate your mom this weekend with tokens of love and gratitude that keep on giving!   Consider making a charity donation in honor of your mother (or the mother-figure in your life – be it an aunt, neighbor, teacher, friend) that speaks to a part of her that you hold special in your heart.  From moms who showed you love through sports, music, food and more – we’ve pulled a few donation suggestions from terrific charities.  Local nonprofits and schools will also welcome donations in honor of  someone you love -- so this Mother’s Day, consider choosing a gift that gives back!

5 Mother’s Day Gifts that Give Back

1.  Did your mom drive you to practice and attend all your games when you were growing up?  

TeamUSA:  The "Raise Our Flag" iniative offers anybody the chance to buy a stitch on the USA flag that will be carried with TeamUSA at the 2012 Summer Olympics.  Your donation also supports TeamUSA Olympic athletes and their training.

2.  Did your mom cook for your family and feed all the neighborhood kids too? 

Share our Strength:  Offer "No Kid Hungry e-Cards" that help a mother whose family is struggling with hunger.

3.  Did your mom listen to you practice without complaining and attend ALL your performances? 

VH1's SaveTheMusic: Donate in your mother's name to help save the art of music in schools across the country through providing musical instruments and education.

4.  Did your mom support your dreams of college, starting a business, or getting a good job?

Kiva:   A Kiva.org gift certificate lets your mom choose how to make a difference for another woman in the world.  "This Mother's Day, give nurturers the tools to do the world's most important job. . . mothers in particular-- have an incredible ripple effect that builds brighter futures for their families, communities and the world." - Kiva. org

 5.  Did your mom teach you the importance of giving back and helping others in the world?

Heiffer International:  With a variety of resources to purchase in the honor of your mother - like goats to provide milk and chickens to provide eggs - Heiffer helps other mothers around the world, ensuring food, water, and sustainable elements to better their lives and their communities.

 

Bonus Ideas!

6.  Did your mom let you keep the stray dog or cat that followed you home?  

Donate to your local animal shelter or the ASPCA and help provide food, shelter and care for animals in need.

7.   Do you remember your mom reading you your favorite book over and over and over…

Consider a gift to your local library, Reach Out and Read, or Reading Is Fundamental!  Help provide books and promote literacy and education readiness for children across the country.

Rinse. Repeat

And…don’t just stop at making Mother’s Day special for your mom - MakeAnotherMother'sDay! Our friends at Cozi Family invite you to practice anonymous and random acts of kindness this weekend -  making the day for another mother who may not be surrounded by the appreciation she deserves on her big day! Learn more

 

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!!!

We at VolunteerSpot want to offer a million THANK YOUs to the amazing, inspiring and hard-working TEACHERS making a difference in the lives of others each and every day!  

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week!

 

Teacher Appreciation Resources - check 'em out and share!

Teacher Appreciation Week Ideas

Teacher Gift Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Publicity

Free Teacher Appreciation Ebook

Teacher Apprectiation on Pinterest

Volunteer Scheduling Software | Large Event Management

Volunteer Spotlight: Emily Evers, The Community Relations Coalition, East Lansing, Michigan

The Community Relations Coalition (CRC) works to build trusting relationships between the communities of East Lansing and Michigan State University by fostering cooperation and communication between neighbors. A not-for-profit organization, the CRC draws on the talents of all sectors of East Lansing through various program initiatives.

Today, our Volunteer Spotlight shines on Emily Evers, who utilized VolunteerSpot's online signup sheets to organize volunteers for this year's Taste of East Lansing event!

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Please tell us about The Community Relations Coalition and your volunteer needs.

The Community Relations Coalition is a non-profit organization that strives to build relationships between members of the shared East Lansing-Michigan State University Community. We conduct outreach designed to educate community residents about their rights, responsibilities, and resources that are available to them as a resident of the community. We plan community-building events that bring together long-term residents and students. Several of the events we coordinate require volunteers, as the CRC is a small organization. These include events like our Neighborhood Clean-Ups and large-scale events like the Taste of East Lansing.

What’s one piece of advice you have for volunteers or their leaders out there?

Remember...with any event that relies on volunteers, it's important to be flexible. Schedules change, life happens, and sometimes people need to cancel or make changes to the volunteer shift for which they signed up. By incorporating extra "floaters," making last-minute reminder phone calls, and being approachable and flexible, you can manage the process more effectively. 

Why did you decide to use VolunteerSpot?

We were planning the first-ever Taste of East Lansing, which is a large-scale event and requires more volunteers than most of our events. We wanted people to be able to sign up online for specific shifts, and we wanted to capture not only contact information but also t-shirt size and whether the volunteer was signing up with a particular organization. We researched online volunteer sign-up sheets and VolunteerSpot seemed like the best option.  

To learn more, visit  www.wealllivehere.org

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We salute Emily and all the other volunteer leaders out there making a difference in our communities. 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].

Get started today with online sign ups from VolunteerSpot!  Fast, easy scheduling and 24/7 access for volunteers from their computer or smartphone!

Teacher Appreciation Ideas

Teacher Appreciation Week Publicity

Plans for Teacher Appreciation Week 2012 (starts May 7th!) are well underway - from staff luncheons to teacher gift ideas and parties, the options are endless for showing teachers the THANKS they deserve!  Go the extra mile with some on-the-spot publicity that can shout out your teachers with your loving school community - check out five creative ideas for getting the word out!

1.  Twitter/Facebook:  Does your school community have a facebook fan page or twitter account?  Take advantage of social media and plan on individualized shouts to your school's teachers during Teacher Appreciation Week.  Make sure to "tag" those teachers with profiles on facebook or with their twitter handles and ask your community to retweet, share, and like the posts.

2.   Videos:  A variety of online platforms make it easy to create a quick video and share it online with your community!  Sites like Youtube are perfect if your school already has an account, or check out Tout.com that lets you share on-the-spot Teacher Appreciation fun (captured with your mobile device) on your social media channels or via email immediately.  Looking to create a slideshow of great teacher photos?  Animoto helps you create beautiful slideshow masterpieces with music.

Share your videos on your school's website, link to them in the school eNewsletter, or post on facebook/twitter.

3.  News Outlets:  Check with local news stations to see what stories they are planning during Teacher Appreciation Week and see if your school's teachers could be a focus.  Nominate your teachers for local recognition or take out ad space to give a special shout out to your favorite teacher in your town's newspaper/news magazine.

4.  Get Crafty:  Set the scene for Teacher Appreciation Week with bulletin boards, door decs, and posters.  Get the kids in on the fun with decorating, painting and crafting their signs of THANKS to don the hallways and doors all over the school.  We love these door decoration ideas for Teacher Appreciation week from SkipToMyLou.org!

5.  Pin it:  Wild about Pinterest?  Consider creating a Teacher Appreciation board to share with your school community capturing those big Teacher Appreciation Week moments as well as candid shots of those classic teacher surprises!

Organizing parent volunteers for your TAW event?  Save time and energy with free online sign up sheets!  Share your needs online and let volunteers sign up 24/7 at their convenience from their computer or smartphone.