What is the push for 4,000?
The push for 4,000 is a public goal set by the Volunteer Center staff, George Ashenmacher and Nikki Haenke, to encourage Duluthians to volunteer 4,000 hours of service over 2012 and record those hours online at www.volunteerduluth.org.
Why?
Because our community needs it, and because it strengthens volunteerism. First, our local organizations depend on a steady stream of volunteers to achieve their missions – whether that is helping ex-offenders re-enter the work world at SOAR, provide shelter at Harbor House Crisis Shelters, or achieving higher graduation rates through tutoring at our local schools. If we can encourage people to volunteer a few hours more than they might otherwise to help us get closer to 4,000, then our local organizations benefit.
Logging your hours also helps strengthen volunteerism. A major hindrance in getting people off the couch and out volunteering is that they don’t know where to start. The Volunteer Center helps solve that problem by offering a large database of local organizations that are always in need of volunteers. But we need help getting the word out! The more people we have checking in on our goal of 4,000 hours and seeing what the site is all about, the more publicity we can gain for the Center and, in turn, to all of the non-profits, schools, and health organizations in our communities that rely on volunteers.
Why 4,000?
In 2011, 328 volunteers provided over 2,000 hours of service. Most of these hours were logged during special one-time events, like the Day of Caring in June or the Chili Cook-Off in September. Although we appreciate those volunteers and the help they provided, we’d like to get a better sense for how much people volunteer each week or month throughout the year. Reaching 4,000 hours will require our community to not just match the hours they provided during one-time events, but go beyond by recording their own daily, weekly, and monthly volunteerism. It’s those little bits that really add up and make a difference. With your help we’ll get to 4,000!
How do I start?
With 75 local agencies listing their opportunities, and more joining each month, the Volunteer Center can provide you with an array of organizations that need your help. All you need to do is register on our website, volunteer, and then track those hours. Then each week you can check back to see how far we’ve got to go to reach 4,000!
1) First, register as a volunteer – all you need is an e-mail address!
2) Then search for a volunteer opportunity that fits your availability and interest.
3) Volunteer!
4) Then track your hours using the “Log Your Hours” function on the website (must be logged in). Need some help? Use this guide or call George at 218.726.4780.