A tremendous amount of volunteer work goes into cooking and home-delivering 1.8 million meals annually for our sick neighbors. It’s no secret that we could not achieve our mission without the help of more than 13,000 volunteers annually who chop vegetables, package meals, make deliveries, and assist with so many other activities.

Our recent survey is just one way we listen to volunteers to ensure we are delivering the best experience possible. We received 498 responses to the emailed survey. Here’s some of what we learned:

• 64% of respondents have been volunteering
for more than a year, and 31% have been at
God’s Love for five years or more.
• 99% said they feel their work is appreciated
by God’s Love staff.
• 91% say the volunteer program at God’s Love is “extremely organized” or “very organized.”

Many respondents also offered suggestions for improvements to the volunteer experience. For example, many volunteers reported an interest in hearing more about clients, and news about God’s Love. Others cited the need for communication, and context. “What are all these onions for?” “Who are we serving these days?” “Who is training the newcomers?”

We take volunteer feedback seriously, and we are taking steps to improve. For instance, we now post volunteers’ hours in the volunteer lounge, along with printed copies of the re-launched volunteer e-newsletter. Also, to manage the growing community of volunteers, Yolanda Deceus has joined us as the new Volunteer Engagement Manager. Yolanda brings a wealth of volunteer management experience with her and will be working with the volunteer staff to manage shifts, assignments, training, and other inquiries. We will continue to implement changes suggested in the survey throughout the year.

Our thanks to all the volunteers whose energy and dedication helps to brighten the lives of the people we serve. As we continue to grow and improve, we welcome your ongoing feedback. You can contact our Volunteer Department at 212-294-8158, at volunteer@glwd.org, or simply stop by the volunteer office any time.