I need volunteers!

I need volunteers, you need volunteers,
we all need volunteers!

With any event, you need volunteers! These range from people to solicit auction items, people to put together table centerpieces, even people to make food. Volunteers can make or break your event. So, where do you find them?

The first thing to look at is your organization. Are members required to volunteer? If they are, you have a pool of qualified volunteers right there that have your goals in mind. Try to find volunteers that have a talent for the jobs you need done. Have someone crafty? Put them with decorations. Have someone who loves to talk and be social? Let them use those skills to talk to other organizations and people to get donations for your event.

If your organization doesn’t have rules about volunteering, or you can’t find anyone with the right set of skills, try some outside help. There are several online tools that can help. Volunteermatch.org is a great, free, way to find volunteers. You input the type of volunteers you need, dates, times, and other information about your organization and event and volunteers come to you.

Another way to get volunteers is to partner with another organization or group. Several universities in the area have organizations, like fraternities and sororities, that have required volunteer hours. This is also a great way to mentor a younger generation and engage them in your cause. Many of them also need experience and will help you with skills that you would normally have to pay someone to do such as marketing, graphic design, computer skills, and many many others. High schools also have volunteer based organizations that would love to help a good cause. You can also contact organizations like the ASPCA, Lions Club, and other organizations to see if they are interested in volunteering.

Getting good volunteers isn’t easy, but if you contact the right people, you can get great volunteers to help your event run smoothly.