Volunteer Newsletter July 2015  
 

Hello Volunteers,

 

This is the first of what will be a regular e-newsletter to our MABVI volunteers, and don't worry - we promise not to clog up your inbox too much! We will send this out every couple of months while taking a few months off to highlight other program efforts. We will include program highlights, volunteer tips, staff updates, and ways in which you can help us grow the program. If you have any feedback or content idea, feel free to send them our way!

 

We are thrilled to announce that the past six months have been the most successful months ever for the Volunteer Program. Through your generous time and commitment to your consumer, we are now providing volunteer support to the most consumers in MABVI's history. Thanks to you almost 120 individuals who are blind/visually impaired (B/VI) are receiving support to read their mail, grocery shop, run and exercise, and other important activities that are a challenge for those with vision loss.

 

You are SUPERSTARS and we are deeply grateful for your volunteer time.


 
Staff Updates

Jen Buchanan, Shannon May, and Jen's dog Keating at MABVI's recent Senior Connection
Jen Buchanan, Shannon May, and Jen's
dog Keating at MABVI's recent
Senior Connection

It is not a coincidence that our growth started in January, a short three weeks after Jen Buchanan started as the Coordinator of Volunteer Services. Jen is a dynamic addition to our staff who has hit the ground in a full out sprint. Learn more about Jen in this recent profile on our Insight Blog: Meet Jen Buchanan 

 

We are also excited to welcome Shannon May as the new MABVI Program Assistant! Shannon, who previously served as an intern on our Development/Marketing team, will be working on the Volunteer Program two days a week and will be a key player in the success of our programs.


 
Incentives

Even with our recent growth, we still have a significant number (over 50) of individuals waiting for a volunteer. Therefore, we are rolling out a new Volunteer Incentive program for all current and future volunteers.  

 

Here is how the first incentive will work:  

 

If you refer a volunteer to us who attends one of our monthly volunteer trainings, you will be entered to win a $50 CVS gift card!  

 

The person you refer must attend the training but does not necessarily have to become a volunteer (sometimes circumstances mean we cannot match everyone, so this seems like a fair compromise to us). This opportunity will begin immediately and, at the end of September, we will randomly draw a name to determine the winner of the gift card. 

 

So please share our upcoming training dates and volunteer information (dates and info can be found on our website here and on our social media feeds, including Facebook and Twitter) with your colleagues, friends, and family. Feel free to include a personal note on your volunteer experience (while respecting your consumer's confidentiality) and the impact it has had on you and your consumer. Please tell your contacts to say that they heard about us through you when signing up to attend a training.  

 

Stay tuned, as we plan to offer other incentives throughout the year!


 
Final Thoughts

Finally, we love to hear about how things are going with your consumer. Please email Jen at jbuchanan@mabcommunity.org or myself at krobidoux@mabcommunity.org to let us know how things are going.

 

Thanks again for all that you do and we hope you have a wonderful Summer.

 

Sincerely, 

 

Kyle Robidoux

Director of Volunteer and Support Group Services,

The Massachusetts Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired  

 

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Experience. Innovation. MAB Community Services has been creating opportunities for people with disabilities since 1903. Our experience allows us to forge strong community partnerships to meet the pressing need for high quality services and transform lives.
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