In Honor of Volunteer Managers

It is easy to feel overwhelmed. Problems seem so big, and our hands and voices seem so small.

Yet, there is something powerful about putting our hands to work in a meaningful way. There is something encouraging about discovering voices who are drawn to work that calls us too.

It is a gift to have a companion in finding this meaningful work and community – a gift given every day by volunteer managers. 

Volunteer managers are curators and matchmakers – finding the connections between what an agency needs and what a volunteer has to give.

They are stewards and witnesses – harnessing and honoring the collective talent that moves a mission forward.

They are visionaries and artists – co-creating possibilities on an ever-changing canvas.

They are coaches and counselors – building a team and cultivating it into more than the sum of its parts.

They are guardians and guides – upholding the values that inspire and propel agency efforts.

They are advocates and activists – crafting the place and space for community voice and action. 

In a world that feels ever fragmented, volunteer managers patch together the individuals who show up and create a beautiful quilt out of our diverse talents and experiences.

In the process, we find out what our hands and voices can uniquely do. We find a community with whom we can do it. We feel a little less overwhelmed and a little less lonely and maybe even a little more hopeful – thanks to a volunteer manager. 

With gratitude and admiration for all those who help us find our place as volunteers, Happy International Volunteer Managers Day!