MARCH 20-21 VOLUNTEER SUPPORT CALL I.
Announcements: • Paid Study Opportunity here in Ann Arbor: Veteran participants are being recruited to share feedback on health care tools. Find out more at http://perigeantechnologies.com/publications/AnnouncementCompensatedStudyParticipation-AnnArbor.pdf • Are you receiving Buddy-to-Buddy emails? Some volunteers with Gmail accounts have not been receiving emails. Check spam folder, social folder, and promotions folder if you have not been receiving B2B emails. • Want a key to the Big House? We are excited to announce that we were selected as one of six beneficiaries of the Big House 5K: Trail to the Victors, presented by Toyota. The Big House 5K will take place on Sunday, April 9, 2017 on the UM Academic and Athletics campuses. Buddy-to-Buddy will receive a portion of the proceeds from each registration. Please help us promote this event or, if you're a runner, sign up and join our team! We need volunteers on Saturday afternoon and the morning of the race. • RSVP for Volunteer Recognition event! RSVP through email to let us know that you will be in attendance on Saturday, April 29th from 6-8pm.
II.
Reminders: • Please log on to the website to submit your interaction logs, drill/event visit logs here: https://buddytobuddy.org/volunteer/auth/login. • The Buddy-to-Buddy program is seeking community events to attend. If there are any events in your area, please let us know so that we may send a representative! • If you are on Facebook, please visit and like our page: www.facebook.com/BuddytoBuddyProgram.
III.
Guest Speakers: •
Stephanie Zarb Program Manager
Heidi Frankenhauser Volunteer Coordinator
The Buddy to Buddy Program has shown a great amount of growth! - 2013: 75% of work was dedicated to the National Guard armories, whereas 25% of the work was dedicated to the general community - 2014: B2B opened up to MI service members and post 9/11 veterans - 2015: Change to serve all MI service members and veterans of all eras
IV.
- 2016: Shift that has been made where 25% of the work is dedicated to the National Guard armories, 75% of the work dedicated to the general community - There has been an increase in referrals sent to volunteers to accommodate for increase in veterans calling 1-800-82-BUDDY who need assistance - Though we are helping veterans with all types of concerns from all different eras, you as a volunteer have the ability to set own boundaries to determine who you would like to work with- let us know! • As Buddy to Buddy has been changing, it is important to keep the relationship with the National Guard strong - Stephanie Zarb and Jane Spinner presented to guard leadership and received such positive feedback about B2B! Volunteers mentioned by name, lots of respect for our program, comfort of guard leadership to utilize volunteers. - We have noticed a decrease in number of volunteers attending drill and number of hours being spent at drill which could be affected by a lack of logging or increase in Grayling and Custer trips--If you have a barrier in going to drill, please let us know! • Feedback on the new process for Buddy-to-Buddy referrals - First interaction being put in system by B2B staff to 1) Help track the referral and to 2) Help ease of logging by knocking out initial step - What do you think of B2B having an on call volunteer? o One day a month commitment to be an on call volunteer. Tasked to handle more immediate calls that come through to Buddy phone line. Able to be done remotely or in Ann Arbor during business hours. Referrals from all over state. What are your thoughts? Willing to volunteer your time for one day a month to be the on call volunteer? • We have an upcoming program evaluation! - Last time B2B was evaluated was in 2011-2012 - What does this mean for you? o Please log all of your work! Most of what staff learns comes from volunteer logs! Logs allow staff to look at previous interactions to determine lessons learned to share and to demonstrate to donors how valuable this program is. o Provide surveys to veterans you have been working with that will take 2-3 minutes to hear about their experience with B2B as someone being helped. Open Discussion: • Monday, March 20th, 2017, 5-6 pm - Feedback on Armory: o New Commander in Midland who thanked volunteer for being a part of B2B!
o Priority of attending drill but has been stretch where unit has not been at base for several months. Issue for multiple volunteers. Possible solution of stationing more volunteers at Grayling Suggestion by volunteer who times his arrival at unit for the return from Grayling/Custer - Issues/Questions from Volunteer: o Does each region VCAT have their own email? No. They have an email if they request one from us. Happy to set it up if interested! o Case of veteran and family who is needing housing assistance, gas money, food and necessities. Suggestions? Option to utilize local food shelters Care packages within programs for homelessness that help with housing and additional issue of food o Veteran who has been without auto insurance for a while. Pricey to get him insurance now due to long absence without. Suggestions? Request to have reduced insurance – increased liability but helps drop cost of insurance The Patriot Fund as potential option to donate money to veteran to cover the insurance cost o Is the Patriot Fund willing to assist widows of veterans? Not sure, but there is the option to appeal to local post to help out the spouse of a veteran. •
Tuesday, March 21st, 2017, 12-1 pm - Questions form a volunteer: - If none: NO ISSUES/CONCERNS IDENTIFIED