At Alvis, our volunteers have engaged with our mission in a variety of ways. We are so lucky to have had such an outpour of support during this challenging year.
And we can say “year,” because it has been a full year since last March, when the COVID-19 pandemic proved to serve as one of the most difficult challenges that our organization has seen.
Alvis had a crisis plan that included a pandemic flu plan. We had this in place prior to COVID-19, and that helped us to be very prepared and responsive to COVID. However, our need to keep our clients safe created changes to our volunteer protocols.
Alvis ceased in-person indoor volunteering—the primary way that all of our volunteers have engaged with us in the past—and, as a result, we embraced remote and virtual volunteer projects.
Keeping our clients engaged with their community has been (and still is) the main focus of our current volunteer efforts. While we are doing what we can to be as safe as possible and limit the spread of COVID-19, our clients have found themselves in lower spirits, struggling to find motivation to reach their goals of reentry and recovery, and in need of their core community. Every little bit of interaction they have from the outside community helps them see that they are not alone in their efforts to turn around their lives by 180 Degrees.
Even though, for the most part, our volunteers weren’t face-to-face with our clients this year, you all still came through in other ways. You came through in ways we never imagined!
Remote volunteering allowed us to send cards, treats, meals, messages, performances, projects, decorations, clothing, art pieces, and more to the clients in this year of unpredictability and seclusion. This amazing effort surged both across our local community of Columbus, as well as across other states in the U.S. and even other countries.
We also and some amazing volunteers help us out with long-term projects, like our Peaceful Reading Garden, and fun socially-distanced events, like our Portraits of Recovery Event and the DD Trunk or Treat in October. We look forward to our upcoming Evening of Light event on May 20th, and hopefully many more once it becomes safer to gather.
Finally, the recurring volunteers who we have been able to start off on a virtual basis have been doing amazing work as GED tutors, yoga instructors, nutritionists, workshop leaders, and friendly faces to talk to.
Whether you were in the comforts of your home, outdoors, or screen-to-screen with our clients, we want to thank you and let you know that you are appreciated.
Happy Volunteer Appreciation Month! Alvis is so lucky to have a generous and compassionate network of individuals like you.
Thank you!!