Thanks, Volunteers

Thanks, Volunteers

Winston Churchill once said ….” We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” It is difficult to put a dollar value on volunteer time. Volunteers provide many intangibles that can not be easily quantified. Volunteers demonstrate the amount of support an organization has within a community, provide work for short periods of time and provide support on a wide range of projects. The estimated dollar value of volunteer time for 2011 was $21.36 per hour. Last year, 3,554 volunteer hours were given to Merica House.

It is of utmost importance to note that during this time our residents have developed a meaningful relationship with all our volunteers who have so willingly and spontaneously given of their time, talent, energy and support.

As noted by Independent Sector, a leadership network for nonprofits, “describing the outcome of volunteer efforts and contrasting those against the actual costs is a more promising approach and may very well become the new best practice in volunteer program management in the near future. At minimum, it is more accurate and more respectful.“

When you volunteer it benefits the group as well as the community. It can also benefit you, the volunteer, in many ways. So many times we have heard our volunteers say the residents at Merica House have given them more than they have given. It is through this friendship and respect we all have grown to appreciate what our volunteers have given to our residents.

Our residents at Merica House are disabled but they have a sense of humor, enjoy engaging in a conversation and being part of a group. One person can make a difference, but when that difference is multiplied, it can be life changing. When you show family and friends how fulfilling volunteering can be, you set the example for others to follow.

We thank all our volunteers for the many hours they have given to us, the residents, at Merica House.

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