Celebrating National Volunteer Week, a Community Connection from Prince George's County, and a guide to recruiting new board members.
We have another opportunity to celebrate all the contributions made by you throughout the year. This month we are celebrating National Volunteer Week (April 15–21) — an annual celebration of the contributions made by volunteers like you in your communities. From mentoring children to supporting the homeless to working with at-risk youth, volunteers are essential to the well-being of our society.
National Volunteer Week offers an opportunity for reflection on both the meaning and benefits of volunteering. Together, we are pursuing a noble endeavor that improves mental and physical health, offers opportunities for the development of new skills, and builds social connections across our communities. Let us continue engaging in this noble endeavor and encourage others to join us.
Best,
Tony
It's exciting to receive donations that your board can use to help people in need. Keep accurate financial records so you remember to thank your donors and are prepared for year-end accounting. Guidance on allowable expenses can be found in Appendix III of the Advisory Board Handbook.
Ken White, Advisory Board Member and MASSB Foundation Trustee
"My experience with DSS began 13 years ago when I became the guardian of my 10- and 14-year-old cousins. Prince George's County DSS made me aware of so many resources that I had no idea were available. His case manager arranged for, and helped me navigate, the evaluations, schools and services he needed. I will be forever grateful for the help they provided during those very challenging years. My cousins are young adults now, and making their way in the world.
A few years later I was a Senior Vice President at Revere Bank. Sam Williams, Prince George's County's Advisory Board Chair and a MASSB Foundation Trustee, and Mark Poerio had the idea that Revere Bank could become a corporate sponsor of MASSB's annual conference. They had no idea that I had first-hand experience with DSS and was "sold" on the proposal the minute they walked in the door. My boss initially turned down the idea, but when I told him I felt so strongly about this cause that I would personally fund the request if the bank didn't, he relented, and Revere Bank became MASSB Foundation's first corporate sponsor.
I'm now on Prince George's County's Advisory Board and a Foundation Trustee. I use my personal and professional experiences to help any way that I can. It is the least I can do to repay the countless hours of support, empathy and compassion provided to my family by Prince George's County DSS workers."
When we ask board chairs what their #1 challenge is, we often hear "recruiting new board members!" This can be a big challenge, particularly for counties located in rural areas or where many nonprofits are competing for the same talent. Be strategic in how you approach recruitment:
