spring 2017
IVolunteer! Special Advertising Section
April 14, 2017
21
Celebrating Volunteer Appreciation Week
Volunteer Meet & Match N
ational Volunteer Week is April 23-29, 2017. All over the country, volunteers will be recognized for their commitment to service and service projects will be performed. In Oak Park and River Forest, the annual Volunteer Meet & Match event will take place on April 26, 4-8 pm at the Oak Park Public Library, to help volunteers connect with local nonprofits that address the causes they care for. The Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation working with the West Cook YMCA (lead sponsor), the Oak Park Public Library, Housing Forward, Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest, Ten Thousand Villages, and the RSVP of West Suburban and Southern DuPage Counties developed this event to match individual interests and skills with nonprofit organizations that need help. 44 nonprofits that serve Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding communities are registered for the
event and are seeking volunteers. We encourage individuals in Oak Park, River Forest and surrounding areas including, Forest Park, Austin, Elmwood Park, Maywood, Berwyn and Cicero and beyond to register to participate in this special event in order to list skills and interests to have potential organizational opportunities matched. Volunteers provide valuable community services which strengthen our community. According to the latest national figures, 62.6 million adults volunteered in 2015 contributing 7.9 billion hours of service worth $184 billion (Corporation for National and Community Service, 2017). Locally, Oak Park and River Forest are very giving communities in terms money and time, with 85% of people giving their time compared to a national average of 24.9%. See www.liveandgivesurvey.org. However, despite this availability of local volunteers, a 2015 assessment by the Foundation found that local nonprofits
needed additional support to recruit volunteers. To address this need, the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation organized the first recruitment event in the area last year. Forty organizations shared their mission, work and needs with more than 270 potential volunteers. The number of volunteers that were eventually recruited by the organizations varied greatly, up to 21 volunteers per organization. Louise Mezzatesta, a long time Oak Park resident says” I found the event to be a good vehicle for gathering information about many organizations with an eye of being a free-lance volunteer consultant. My volunteer opportunity with the Oak Park Regional Housing Center has been very rewarding as their mission is one that is important to me. I look forward to this year’s event!” This year an additional room in the Library -- the Lobby Community Space
on the first floor—will be used as well as the Veterans Room and Arts Gallery located on the second floor. We will have more ushers and have a welcome/ registration table downstairs near the main entry. We are seeking a wide range of volunteers to engage with local nonprofits. Volunteers interested in short-term projects, skill-based assignments, long-term positions, virtual volunteering, Board membership…all are welcome! We hope everyone will find time to come meet with our local nonprofits! The event is free. Walk-ins are welcomed but we strongly encourage people to preregister at www.oprfcf.org. This makes it much easier to match your interests and skills with more than 40 community organizations that can benefit from your service. Kristin Carlson Vogen, President & CEO Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
Oak Park Public Library Veterans Room
Find out how YOU can get involved and make a difference