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Charlotte Rescue Mission utilizes VolunteerHub to enhance volunteer management. We had a chance to interview Donnie Shell Jr., Director of Community Engagement for Charlotte Rescue Mission, to learn more about the organization’s initiatives, and their utilization of our software.
Can you tell me more about Charlotte Rescue Mission and your role within the organization?
Donnie: We provide cost-free, faith-based recovery programs for both men and women. Our goal is to interact with individuals who are struggling with the disease of addiction and help them achieve long-term sobriety, financial stability, stable housing, and build healthy relationships with the people they are interacting with. My role in the organization as the Director of Community Engagement mainly consists of working with our volunteers, community outreach, and partners.
What has been your impact within the community?
Donnie: In fiscal year 2022, over 270 people graduated from our core program, during which residents stay with us while receiving the help they need to thrive. Additionally, 170 individuals participated in our 2-year recovery living program, which offers accountability and support in the subsequent stages of their lives. It has been an exciting time at Charlotte Rescue Mission because we have witnessed significant growth and an increase in the number of individuals completing our programs.
Where do volunteers fit in?
Donnie: Volunteers are integral to various aspects of our organization. We emphasize our meal sponsorship program, where volunteers can either sponsor a meal financially, sponsor and serve or simply serve a meal. We strive to offer multiple options for volunteers to support our organization. They also contribute to our kitchens 365 days a year. There’s always an opportunity for people to get involved, lend a hand, and make a meaningful impact.
What features of VolunteerHub do you find the most valuable?
Donnie: The feature of VolunteerHub that we use the most is Landing Pages. This feature allows us to customize the experience for our volunteers and create pages that are branded specifically for an organization, group, or business to provide a sense of connection. We also use Landing Pages for events, such as our holiday events. The ability to create volunteer groups has also been immensely beneficial, as it gives us a way to segment our communications.
What has your experience been like with the VolunteerHub team?
Donnie: The VolunteerHub team, especially support, has been great at providing us with training and answering any question that we have within 24 hours. VolunteerHub stands behind its product.
Do you believe that VolunteerHub software provides your organization with a return on investment?
Donnie: I do, we can use VolunteerHub to track volunteer hours and this information is provided to our board to demonstrate the evolution of our volunteer program. We can calculate the value of our volunteer program using the national average value of a volunteer hour. We couldn’t do that without the software.
What would you say to someone in your position who does not have volunteer management software yet?
Donnie: I would say gauge what your return on investment would be from using volunteer management software, including the hours your team would save. Every volunteer management system is not for everyone, understand the features that your organization needs to be successful.
How can people volunteer for your organization?
Donnie: Visit our website (https://charlotterescuemission.org) and click on “volunteer” from the “get involved” drop-down. We are always looking for people within our community to help support our mission.
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Ready to transform your volunteer program?
Charlotte Rescue Mission is a great example of how the right volunteer software can make all the difference in accomplishing a mission. VolunteerHub provides the features your organization needs to transform and automate your volunteer program.
