United Way of Madison County Connects Community Through VolunteerHub

United Way of Madison County plays a vital role in empowering local nonprofits by connecting them with the volunteers who drive their missions forward. Through its volunteer center — The Volunteer Center of Madison County — the organization bridges the gap between community needs and people eager to make a difference.

To learn more about this important work, we spoke with Stuart Siniard, Director of the Volunteer Center at United Way of Madison County. Stuart oversees both the technology that powers the center — including VolunteerHub — and the community partnerships that make volunteer engagement possible.

In this interview, Stuart shares how the Volunteer Center fulfills its mission, the challenges it has overcome, and how VolunteerHub has become a game-changer in connecting people with meaningful service opportunities.

What is the Mission and Vision of United Way of Madison County?

Stuart: We aim to be a connector between community needs and volunteers. We identify needs in the community and then provide as many solutions as possible. Like most United Ways, we focus on education, income, and health. Currently, we fund 26 different organizations in those areas.

Recently, we completed a community needs assessment with input from volunteers, local government, and schools. It confirmed many of the same challenges we’ve seen in the past — particularly transportation, which is a big issue in our county and city. But overall, the assessment reinforced our role: to be the bridge that connects resources with needs.

How is the Volunteer Center of Madison County Helping to Reach Your Goals?

Stuart: The Volunteer Center of Madison County is how we live out that connector role. My job is to give donors and residents an opportunity to see community needs up close. Donors don’t just write a check — they can volunteer and experience the impact of their dollars.

We don’t use the Volunteer Center to recruit volunteers for United Way itself. Instead, it’s a free, countywide platform any nonprofit can use. Some post directly, while others send opportunities to me, and I post them on their behalf. Either way, the goal is to give every organization a place to be visible and connect with people who want to help.

What Does Your Day-to-Day Look Like as a Volunteer Center Director?

Stuart: Half of my role is technology — managing the VolunteerHub software — and half is hands-on community relationship building.

On the software side, I post opportunities for organizations that don’t have the staff or time to do it themselves. I’ll also send direct emails to our volunteer base, which right now is close to 400 people. For example, United Cerebral Palsy recently asked me to share about their community fair. Even though they could have posted directly, they preferred to let me handle it. So, I created the posting and notified volunteers through VolunteerHub.

On the community side, I spend a lot of time placing individuals and large groups. One day, I may be helping a student without transportation find opportunities within walking distance of campus. Next, I’m coordinating with Mazda Toyota or GE Aerospace to place a group of 30 employees as part of their onboarding training.

It’s dynamic. Some days I’m helping someone prepare for long-term service; other days I’m solving last-minute emergencies when plans fall through. My role is to be that consistent connector who keeps the whole system moving.

How Many Local Organizations Do You Collaborate With? How Many Volunteers?

Stuart: Madison County has about 300 nonprofits. I directly collaborate with around 100 of them in a given year — including our 26 United Way partners, about 40 “community connections,” and a range of others from police departments to museums.

I also work with organizations that aren’t traditionally thought of as health and human services, like the Botanical Garden, military museums, or the Land Trust that maintains our trails. New partnerships pop up all the time.

On the volunteer side, I help about 400 individuals a year, plus 20 or so large groups. Companies like Mazda, Toyota, GE Aerospace, and local accounting firms regularly reach out. Some groups are consistent year after year; others are brand new.

For me, success is when volunteers fall in love with an organization and keep serving there without needing to come back to me. If I can make that initial connection that leads to a lasting relationship, then I’ve done my job.

What Challenges Did You Run into Managing the Volunteer Center Before VolunteerHub?

Stuart: We had another system where anyone could sign up and post, but it quickly became cluttered. Lots of accounts, not much activity. We ended up with a giant database but very little engagement.

With VolunteerHub, we started fresh. I act as the gatekeeper, who keeps the postings relevant and easy to use. Volunteers can sign up in two minutes, and organizations can choose how involved they want to be — from having a simple landing page to managing their own opportunities.

I’m not a tech person, but I love this software. It’s intuitive, visual, and simple to explain. Volunteers constantly compliment how it looks and functions.

What are your favorite features of VolunteerHub?

Stuart: I love the customization. Each organization can have a landing page with its own art, logos, and social media links, which makes it feel like its own little home base. That helps soften the experience for volunteers — it feels inviting, not overwhelming.

I also love how visual it is. The calendar view is fantastic for seniors and people who want to see what’s happening at a glance, while the list view works well for others. Everyone can find a format they like.

Reporting is another favorite feature. For my Youth Council, I can quickly pull spreadsheets showing hours served, events completed, and even track personal service hours using the “Other” option. That button has been a game-changer because not everything fits neatly into a scheduled posting.

And most importantly, it’s simple. When I tell people it takes two minutes to sign up, it really does. That’s why both teens and seniors can use it without frustration.

How Do Your Partner Organizations and Volunteers Feel About VolunteerHub?

Stuart: Organizations appreciate that they can be part of the system without having to fully manage it. Some use VolunteerHub as their main volunteer page because they don’t even have websites of their own. Others link their VolunteerHub pages directly to their websites, so it feels seamless.

Volunteers — from high school students to seniors — love how visual and simple the platform is. The calendar view is a favorite. My Youth Council students, who are required to log 32 volunteer hours each year, use it to track and report their activities. If a 15-year-old can figure it out and use it regularly, that says a lot.

The “Other Hours” feature has been especially helpful. Not every volunteer opportunity has a neat event posting, so giving students and organizations the ability to log hours flexibly has made tracking much easier.

Do you think other volunteer centers could replicate your success with VolunteerHub?

Stuart: Absolutely. If I could build this, anyone could. We started simple and grew over time, adding community connections, partner pages, and special programs. The system can scale depending on what a volunteer center wants to do.

It’s also inviting. Volunteers don’t feel overwhelmed, and organizations feel supported. I’d recommend it to any volunteer center trying to be a connector in their community.

What Makes VolunteerHub a Great Volunteer Management Solution for Volunteer Centers Specifically?

Stuart: Volunteer centers are unique — we represent many organizations, not just one. VolunteerHub allows us to customize landing pages with logos, images, and social links, so each nonprofit feels like they have its own little home base within the system.

I love that it’s both simple and expandable. Over time, we’ve added community partners, connection pages, and special programs like “Rise to Read” for schools. The platform has grown with us, but it has never become overwhelming.

What Would You Say to Another Volunteer Center on the Fence About VolunteerHub?

Stuart: If another United Way or volunteer center asked me where to start, I’d tell them: look at what we’ve built here. Play with our site. See how it works for your community.

We evaluated several other systems, and none offered the same balance of control, customization, and user experience as VolunteerHub. The customer service is outstanding, too — if I send an email, I usually have a response within minutes.

I would absolutely recommend VolunteerHub to any volunteer center that wants to be a true connector for their community.