task force

“Ownership” and “doing things the way we’ve always done them” were two of the few items listed when asked, “What might staff have to let go of in order to embrace a more fully collaborative culture of volunteer engagement?” What’s to gain by embracing such a model of volunteer engagement? The list was much, much longer. It was part of an honest, lively conversation between about 65 staff and volunteers at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (VMFA) this week.

The stories are devastating; the images heart wrenching; and the future even worse. The earthquake in Haiti has shaken the world and the emotional aftershocks reverberate every time we turn to the news. As individuals, we all want to help – but it’s difficult to find a way to help when we live hundreds or thousands of miles away. As professionals in the nonprofit and service sectors, we are driven to help – even if disaster relief is not part of our organizations’ core mission. But how? Organizations who work as first responders, search and rescue, and direct relief often have built-in infrastructures to respond and support. For the rest of us, though, there are ways to leverage our existing structures and rally our constituents and volunteers to respond. We can make a difference.