Business Volunteers Maryland

doing good. better.

The Value of Skilled Volunteering

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Last month, Business Volunteers Maryland President and CEO Julie Kernan shared her reflections on how the COVID-19 pandemic has changed our world. You can read her full post here, but her final thoughts expressed a silver lining of “the development of a greater commitment to caring for others through volunteering and community engagement.”

Usually, when an individual thinks of volunteering they immediately think of direct service- planting a tree, serving meals, tutoring children. But there are a variety of ways that an individual can engage with a nonprofit. The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the value of skilled volunteering to the forefront, something that Business Volunteers has been a strong proponent of for years. In the spirit of a greater commitment to caring for others, individuals can engage with nonprofits virtually, even as society begins to transition back to “normal.”

Skilled volunteering (sometimes referred to as pro bono consulting) is when an individual, often with a specific professional expertise, helps a nonprofit solve a complex operational or business issue. This could include helping a nonprofit develop a comprehensive branding and marketing strategy, or assisting with financial modeling and budgeting, or helping to implement new technology solutions.

Businses Volunteers’ communityCONNECT – a forum for nonprofits to post their needs and for our corporate partners and individuals to find volunteer opportunities that fit their skills, comfort, and availability- houses a variety of skilled volunteer opportunities that can be completed virtually.

According to a 2016 report by Maryland Nonprofits, 80% of nonprofits in Maryland are very small, all volunteer organizations with annual revenues of $25,000 or less. Skilled volunteering provides vital resources and support for nonprofits who do not have the capacity or funding to complete such projects on their own.

The Value of Skilled Volunteering

  • Skilled volunteering is about more than just doing good in the community. It’s also about developing talent through real world application of leadership skills. Skilled volunteering is a way to build up-and-coming leaders as the projects naturally require collaboration, communication, and self-awareness. Thus, giving employees the chance to practice agility and effective decision making.
  • Skilled volunteering helps to cultivate your workforce. By connecting employees to the community and causes they care about they are more likely to be engaged and productive within the business.
  • Skilled volunteering fosters strong organizational culture. Skilled volunteering (and the collaboration that is associated with it) is a way for business to live their corporate values. This byproduct of community engagement drives innovation and cross departmental collaboration.

According to Covestro, 80% of executives believe skills-based volunteerism could help employees satisfy their desire for purpose and hone their teamwork and leadership abilities.

At the end of the day, like you, we want to make an impact in our community. We want to see nonprofits thrive by fulfilling their mission. As COVID-19 has done with many ideas, we challenge you to think past the traditional definition of volunteering, engaging with nonprofits in new and innovative ways.

From our CEO: “This is my beacon of hope.”

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When the team at Business Volunteers Maryland did our annual planning for Global Volunteer Month, it was early 2020 and we never could have imagined the April we ultimately faced. What started as planned postings shining the light on local volunteers (#LocalLights) who are continually doing good, better in our community, completely changed from volunteering as we know it. While it is still important to acknowledge our traditional volunteer heroes, we would be remiss if we did not amplify the current and obvious needs.

Local nonprofits, facing unprecedented headwinds as communities respond to COVID-19, reached out to Business Volunteers with unique requests to fill volunteer needs. According to the Urban Institute, three out of five charitable organizations reported that the ability to deliver their mission is critically dependent upon volunteers. We had to pivot to provide the support these organizations require in the current environment – a platform to document their volunteer needs, including on-site, remote, and virtual projects and access to a diverse volunteer source. Thus, the birth of communityCONNECT – a forum for nonprofits to post their needs and for our corporate partners and individuals to find volunteer opportunities that fit their skills, comfort, and availability.

In a matter of days, communityCONNECT moved from concept to implementation, reaching thousands of prospective community volunteers. We have heard from our corporate and nonprofit partners, as well as from the Points of Light Foundation (we are the Baltimore affiliate!) and their global affiliates, that this platform has provided the matching of needs to volunteers they desperately need. Business Volunteers is pleased to play a vital role in connecting resources to requests.

From a personal perspective, I continue to be impressed and amazed at how our community is stepping up. Friends and colleagues are creative in how they engage in the community – they are making masks, tutoring children online, and raising money to support those on the front line. Looking for some way to support our front line workers, my husband and I recently delivered dinner to a nurse friend and her colleagues at Johns Hopkins Hospital. Following is her thank you text after the meal:

Just wanted to say thank you again. You guys made our group very happy. There was enough for both shifts; the food was delicious (several people have been to Joe Benny’s and wholeheartedly endorsed it, others will definitely be checking them out when all of this is over) and felt special. Tensions have been building and we all sat down and ate like a family. It was incredibly heart warming and cathartic. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

What seemed like an easy gesture for us, changed the team dynamics, if only for just a little while, for a group of critical care workers who so desperately needed a break.

These unique, individual contributions amass to a significant outpouring of support and this is my beacon of hope. I am optimistic the way we are living today is not our new “normal,” and whatever our new normal is, I believe we will be more gentle with ourselves and our neighbors. The silver lining to the COVID storm cloud is the development of a greater commitment to caring for others through volunteering and community engagement.

Editor’s Note: Visit Business Volunteers on Facebook and Instagram to read about how our community embraced Global Volunteer Month during unprecedented times. We invite you to tag us in your remote volunteering and use the hashtags #locallight #doinggoodbetter

COVID-19: How to volunteer at home

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Across America and around the world, we are witnessing the true spirit of caring for others as our colleagues, friends, and neighbors align to ensure all are safe and secure and have access to necessities during the COVID-19 outbreak/pandemic. Business Volunteers joins the extended community in our commitment to supporting those in need during this unsettling time.

For eighteen years, we have made connections between those in need through our nonprofit partners and the business community. We have a profound appreciation for the ways in which individuals seek to engage in the community and a deep understanding of the variety of causes seeking support. But, how do we support these organizations while caring for our families and community by staying home?

Business Volunteers has been compiling virtual and remote opportunities on our new, real-time platform, communityCONNECT. While many of the opportunities fulfill immediate needs related to COVID-19, there are other remote volunteer projects that are impactful any time of year.

Engaging in volunteer projects helps individuals, especially children, build empathy and develop leadership skills while promoting personal wellbeing and happiness. In a time when selfcare is paramount, at-home volunteer activities provide a welcomed break in a monotonous routine.

Some of our favorite at home volunteer projects are:

Toiletry Kits
Now more than ever, vulnerable populations need access to basic necessitates that promote health and good hygiene. Package shampoo, conditioner, soap, deodorant, hand sanitizer, socks, toothpaste, and a toothbrush in a Ziploc bag. You can also include non-alcoholic mouthwash or other items such as a comb, Band-Aids, and Chapstick. Consider making a version with feminine hygiene products as well. Before sealing the bag, write an inspirational note or card to let the recipient know that you are thinking of them. Asylee Women Enterprise will accept toiletry kits and deliver them to their clients.

Dog Toys
Many shelters in the Baltimore region have placed animals with foster families for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, these furry friends could always use a fun toy to enjoy while waiting for their forever family. Since you are already cleaning out your closets and garages, use old t-shirts and tennis balls to create the perfect tug of war rope. Check out these easy instructions! When completed, reach out to Baltimore Human Society or BARCS to coordinate your donation drop off.

Great Reads Bookmarks
Channeling your creativity is a great way to stay productive during a stay-at-home order. Celebrate and share the joy of literacy by giving handmade bookmarks to a local organization. We recommend donating your works of art to the Maryland Book Bank or Village Learning Place. Cut paper into 8.5 inch by 2-inch strips. Color them, write inspirational quotes, add ribbons or stickers. Be creative! Don’t forget to reach out to the organizations before dropping off your donations as employees may be working remotely.

Generation On, a Points of Light Enterprise, provides project suggestions, instructions, material lists and reflection questions to help guide the experience for you and your family. We recommend referring to this resource or communityCONNECT when looking for a fun, easy at home project. As you complete projects, tag Business Volunteers on Facebook and Instagram! We want to see what you are doing to be a #LocalLight during COVID-19.

Safety Note: Please make sure you wash your hands before and after you work on your projects and practice social distancing when making donation drop offs.

Photos from MDSDAT, Service at Stevenson, The Spruce Craft