This presentation was deliverd by Ella Todd of Kansas Mentors.

1. Make a Difference.
"I cannot preach like Martin Luther King, Jr.
or turn a poetic phrase like Maya Angelou,
but I care and am willing to serve.”
--Marian Wright Edelman

2. Volunteering in the U.S.
• 61 million Americans volunteer regularly
• 12.9 billion hours were volunteered in the
U.S. in 2006
• On average, on any given day, there are
15 million Americans volunteering
• Each year, the US benefits from the
equivalent of $239 billion dollars of
unpaid staff time through volunteering
Source: The Nonprofit Almanac 2008

3. Volunteering in Kansas
• 36.2% of adults volunteer in Kansas
(we rank #8 among all 50 states and Washington D.C.)
• 44.7 volunteer hours per resident
(we rank #9 among all 50 states and Washington D.C.)
Kansas Volunteering by Age Group
Age Median Hrs State Rate Nat’l Rate
20-24 * 20.7% 18.1%
25-34 40 30.0% 22.9%
35-44 48 40.9% 31.0%
Source: Volunteering In America, Corporation for National & Community Service 2008

4. Volunteers =
Engaged Citizens.
Citizen engagement is more critical than
ever as both a cornerstone of our
democracy and as an essential resource
for solving some of our nation's most
pressing issues.

6. You can benefit, too.
Successful volunteer engagement is a
mutually beneficial relationship, not just a
free for all for the organization to
achieve its needs.

7. Volunteering is a two-way street.
Here are a few things you can gain when
you give your time and yourself:
• connect with your community
• share your skills and gain new ones
• develop self esteem and self-confidence
• meet new people from all walks of life
• enhance your resume and make important
networking contacts
• promote a worthwhile activity
• feel needed and valued
• experience something new
Source: Corporation for National and Community Service: http://www.nationalservice.gov/

8. Overcoming Barriers
to Volunteering
We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just
a drop in the ocean, but the ocean would be less
because of that missing drop. We can do no
great things, only small things with great love.
--Mother Teresa

9. BARRIER #1:
I don’t have enough time
to volunteer.

10. BARRIER #2:
I don’t have the “skills”
to volunteer.

11. BARRIER #3:
I don’t feel like I am
making a difference.

12. BARRIER #4:
I don’t think my workplace
supports volunteering.

14. Resources

15. The Volunteer Involvement Framework
CONNECTION TO SERVICE
Affiliation Focus Skill Focus
Examples of Service: Examples of Service:
• Corporate days of service w/ work teams • A one-time audit of an organization’s finances
Short- • Weekend house-build by a local service club by a professional accountant
• A sports club teaching a youth group a
term, • Park clean-up event or trail maintenance
particular skill and hosting a youth event
TIME FOR SERVICE
Episodic • Walkers, bikers, runners for annual fundraiser
• A student completing a degree requirement
• A chef preparing a meal for a fundraiser
Examples of Service: Examples of Service:
• Youth mentor • Pro bono legal counsel
Long- • Troop leader • No-cost medical service by a physician, EMT,
term, • Sunday School teacher nurse, counselor, etc.
Ongoing • Environmental Sustainability advocate • Volunteer fire fighter
• Hospice visitor • Loaned executive
• Park host or docent • Board member
Source: RGK Center for Philanthropy & Community Service, The Volunteer Involvement Framework™

16. Resources
United We Serve, a national clearinghouse of
volunteer opportunities and provides toolkits for
volunteers interested in developing their own projects
http://www.serve.gov/
HandsOn Network, inspires, equips and mobilizes
people to take action that changes the world.
Searchable database of volunteer opportunities and
great resources for developing volunteer leadership.
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/

17. Resources
United Way, an organization that often serves as a
convener of local non-profits in a community and
typically has a pulse on available opportunities.
Visit the national United Way website and type in
your zip code in the top right corner to find your
local organization.
http://www.liveunited.org/

18. Resources – KS Volunteer Centers
The Volunteer Center of Reno County Roger Hill Volunteer Center
DOUGLAS COUNTY
Davis Hall-Hutchinson Community College United Way of Douglas County
RENO COUNTY
815 North Walnut 2518 Ridge Court, Room 200
Hutchinson, KS 67501 Lawrence, KS 66046
Debbie Berndsen, Director Phone: (785) 865-5030
Phone: (620) 665-4960 Fax: (785) 843-6752
Fax: (620) 665-4965 Email info@rhvc.org
Email: berndsend@hutchcc.edu www.rhvc.org
www.hutchcc.edu/volunteer
United Way of Wyandotte County
WYANDOTTE COUNTY
Volunteer Center, ECKAN Volunteer Center
FRANKLIN COUNTY
1320 South Ash Street 434 Minnesota Avenue
Ottawa, KS 66067 PO Box 17-1042
Lisa Rivers, Vol. Center Director Kansas City, KS 66101
Phone: (785) 242-7450 Diane Hentges, Director
Fax: (785) 242-0305 Phone: (913) 371-3674 x 308
Email: lrivers@eckan.org Fax: (913) 371-2718
www.eckan.org Email: dhentges@unitedway-wyco.org
www.unitedway-wyco.org

19. Resources – KS Volunteer Centers
SEDGWICK COUNTY
The Volunteer Connection United Way of the Plains Volunteer Center
SALINE COUNTY
239 North Santa Fe 245 North Water
Salina, KS 67401 Wichita, KS 67202
Nancy Klostermeyer, Director Mark Stump, Director
Phone: (785) 823-3128 Phone: (316) 267-0202
Fax: (785) 823-3819 Fax: (316) 267-0937
Email: exec@vcnck.org Email: volcenter@unitedwayplains.org
www.salhelp.org/volunteerconnection/main.htm www.unitedwayplains.org/volunteer_center.htm
United Way of Greater Topeka Volunteer Center K-State Volunteer Center of Manhattan
SHAWNEE COUNTY
1315 SW Arrowhead Lynda Bachelor, Coordinator
RILEY COUNTY
Topeka, KS 66604 2323 Anderson Ave, Suite 125
Barbara Lundquist, Director KSU Foundation Center
Phone: (785) 228-5113 Manhattan, Kansas 66502
Fax: (785) 273-2467 Phone: (785)-532-7607
Email: Barbara.Lundquist@unitedwaytopeka.org Fax: (785)-532-0671
www.unitedwaytopeka.org bachelor@ksu.edu
www.volunteersolutions.org/uwgt www.k-state.edu/leadership

20. Resources
Kansas Volunteer Commission, established in 1993,
KVC serves to promote and develop volunteerism
throughout Kansas by providing resources to local
service organizations as well as individuals.
If you’re interested in any of the national service
programs - AmeriCorps, AmeriCorps VISTA,
AmeriCorps NCCC, or Learn and Serve – KVC is a
great resource. Also administers quarterly Governor’s
Points of Light Award to recognize outstanding
volunteers in Kansas.
http://www.kanserve.org

21. Resources
Kansas Mentors, a statewide mentoring partnership
of over 175 local mentoring programs. The program
is committed to ensuring every young Kansan has
access to a caring and quality mentor.
Interested volunteers can search a database of local
programs, also has great resources for those wanting
to learn more about mentoring or mentors who want
to strengthen their skills.
http://www.KansasMentors.org

22. Contact Information
Ella Todd, Director
Kansas Mentors
1000 SW Jackson, Suite 540
Topeka, KS 66612
(785) 296-8873
etodd@kdheks.gov
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