JP Phillips

COM 345

Dr. Rohler

2/1/10

Good Shepherd Orientation

“Where Volunteers Make the Difference”

Good afternoon! I’d like to welcome you all, new and returning volunteers, to the Good Shepherd Center today. It is only with your help that we are able to continue to achieve success in fulfilling our mission: With your help we continue to feed the hungry. With your help we continue to shelter the homeless. With your help we continue to foster transition of those in crisis towards independence in the community. You truly are the lifeblood of our organization, and we appreciate each and every one of you who donate your time and talents to help those in need.

Here at Good Shepherd we have many different opportunities for volunteering to work with all types of schedules whether you are only available during the day, evening, or solely on weekends. We also have a position for you no matter what talents you possess.

We need cooks and dishwashers to help in our Soup Kitchen for breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week. Because so many of our visitors have compromised health with limited access to healthy foods, volunteers in the department ensure that they have a nutritional meal consisting of at least a meat, a starch, fruits, and veggies. Our Second Helpings program involves volunteers driving to pick up donated food for the Shelter; you can do this in your own vehicle or one of ours. The front desks of the Day Shelter and the Fourth Quarter Transitional Living Center need to be manned every day. This consists of answering phones and administrative work as well as checking in guests. The Night Shelter needs volunteers between the hours of 4:30 and 6:30 p.m. to check in guests weeknights and weekends, and currently we are in need of extra female overnight monitors during the week. The Ashley Transitional Living Center has a need for volunteers to drive guests to and from work and appointments. Finally if you sign up to be part of the Good Shepherd Green Team, you will be responsible for picking up our recyclables (including newspapers, cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic, and glass), dropping it off at recycling drop spot, and sorting it. We also are in major need of individuals with IT or automotive skills around the center. The sign up sheet for these positions is located in the back of the room on the refreshment table, so if you haven’t already signed up please do so at the end of the meeting.

Since this is a volunteer-based organization, we only have a few rules that we ask you to abide by. We ask that each and every volunteer be on time for their shift. If you are going to be late or cannot make it, we need you to call the center and let somebody know so that we can try to fill your position for that day. Ladies, we ask that you dress conservatively; no mini-skirts or low-cut tops please. For each day you put in your time, you are welcome to eat at the Soup Kitchen (but we do ask that you wait until all of our guests have been served before you serve yourself). If you sign up for a position and later wish to change to a different position, you may contact our Director of Resource Development, Scott Litten, to do so or do so at our next Orientation Meeting. We have Orientation Meetings, such as this one, every Wednesday at 2 p.m.

It is with the help of volunteers like yourselves that drives this center to success each year. Remember that a simple and small act of kindness such as preparing food and helping us provide shelter can have a huge and lasting impact on someone’s life. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said that “Everyone can be great because anyone can serve.” Here at the Good Shepherd Center we believe that all of our volunteers have achieved greatness simply by devoting themselves to our mission. Again, the sign up sheet for volunteer positions is located at the back on the refreshment table. On behalf of all of our staff here at the center, we thank you for being here today and look forward to working with you. Are there any questions at this time?