Dear Partner in Ministry,

Last week, Catholic Charities USA conducted a survey of those responsible for volunteer engagement in their agencies. As might be expected, many volunteers are not now serving, due to safety concerns and social distancing requirements.

However, some volunteers are still engaged in various service areas, and others are being retrained or redirected to fulfill new roles. In hope that this information may be of assistance to you, here are highlights of what the survey revealed volunteers are currently doing throughout the Catholic Charities network:

• Serving in call centers, receiving requests for food delivery
• Coordinating food delivery for shut-ins
• Making wellness check-in phone calls to seniors and vulnerable persons
• Providing rides to seniors for urgent appointments
• Donating and/or starting vegetable and flower seeds for community gardens
• Helping prepare tax returns remotely
• Dropping off hygiene kits for seniors
• Serving as “pen-pals” for incarcerated persons
• Continued service with disaster operations
• Making masks for vulnerable populations
• Assisting with grant writing
• Aiding parishes in reaching their communities virtually through technology and marketing assistance.

On a related note, please recall that Sterling Partners, a CCUSA background screening partner, has scheduled for tomorrow a webinar on volunteer engagement during the ongoing pandemic. Here’s more:

Volunteer Engagement Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic: A Virtual Convening

Thursday, April 9^th, 2020 @ 11:00 am PST | 2:00 pm EST

https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/7435201497772870924?source=P-CatholicCharities

What you'll learn:

• Impacts of the Coronavirus pandemic on volunteer engagement across the sector
• Examples of how organizations are adjusting strategies in response to the changing circumstances
• Considerations and tips to help you shift your engagement practices
• Available resources to support you in your engagement efforts
• The value of connecting with peers during these challenging times

May God's peace be with you and those you serve at this time.