Volunteer Appreciation Always

There’s nothing quite like the Women’s Resources volunteer experience

“Women’s Resources makes a real difference in our community,” says Ruth Fallding. And she should know—she’s been helping out one day a week for a full 10 years in our fund development office, entering donation data, creating receipts and thank-you letters, and much more. Ruth is one of the 100-strong volunteers who make Women’s Resources the caring, effective organization it is.

About 85 of those volunteers work in Vicky’s Values, our beloved boutique that sells gently used clothing, housewares, décor items, books and toys, among other things. They work non-stop, sorting and displaying donations and cheerfully helping customers. Our other volunteers sit on our terrific Board of Directors or help in some of the less visible areas of our operation such as gardening, grocery shopping for the shelter, event planning, fundraising and public awareness tasks. Together, these remarkable women contributed more than 10,000 hours of their time in 2022. And while we’re enormously grateful to them, what we hear over and over is that they get at least much as they give.

“Not only does Women’s Resources go out of their way to show appreciation to their volunteers but we have fun too!” Ruth says. Even when COVID shut down our offices, she continued to contribute by volunteering from home. “I realized during the height of the pandemic when work could not be done in person how much I missed it.”

She adds that volunteering gives a sense of connection and fulfillment, as well as the feeling of doing something useful rather than giving up in despair. “I am constantly saddened by the heartbreaking stories of abuse against women and their children in our community and across the country, but also heartened by the incredible generosity and goodwill of donors locally. Even in 2023 when one would have hoped for domestic abuse to be less of a problem, it is not. There is so much need and so much work to be done. Volunteers are essential.”

And whether your interest lies in providing administrative help, organizing the racks at Vicky’s Values or sitting on our board, Ruth says that if you have the time and the interest, she’d encourage you to volunteer with Women’s Resources. You’ll receive training, meet some amazing people, and yes—you’ll receive much more than you give.

By Nancy Payne