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April is National Volunteer Month!
"Volunteers are unpaid, not because they are worthless,
but because they are PRICELESS".
We have this quote hanging in our office as a reminder of the value of our wonderful volunteers! The Elves are fortunate to work so closely with individuals in our community. Check out what they are saying about their experiences here.
The Volunteer Center (Serving San Francisco and San Mateo Counties) is accepting nominations for the 2012 Bay Area Volunteer Awards by April 21st. Do you have an outstanding individual or non-profit agency in mind? Nominate him or her now!
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From the Queen's Desk
I've heard this many times. For me, this statement is more than an obvious truth; it is a very loud call to action. It screams to me the need to help our children learn.
Yes, they need the book smarts they should get in school and the street smarts they should learn from experiences. But to truly create the future I hope to have, they need to learn the value of helping others.
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Time to add the 2012 Back to School Drive
to your calendar!
 We need to collect 15,000 backpacks filled with school supplies for disadvantaged Bay Area students who need these materials to start the school year! Register to host a drive today and forward this on to your friends and family!
A few tips to generate interest among your group:
1. Post your backpack cards and posters in very visible, high traffic areas.
2. Keep a variety of backpack cards on display and let us know when you need more.
3. Get your coworkers to post materials and talk to their departments about the program.
For more tips and links to help you run a successful Back to School Drive, check out our website's host page here.
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Volunteers Make Great Philanthropists
Volunteers are the backbone of every nonprofit. At the Family Giving Tree volunteers are critical to our ongoing efforts of reducing the burden of poverty in our community. Whether a large corporation, a "mom and pop" store, a community club or an individual together we make lasting magical moments for low-income children. According to Laura Arrillaga-Andresseen's recent New York Times Best Seller, Giving 2.0: Transform Your Giving and Our World, "a philanthropist is anyone who gives anything - time, money, experience, skills, and networks - in any amount to create a better world."
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Amber King stands with the FGT Development Dept.
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In recognition of National Volunteer Month, we'd like to introduce you to a couple of our philanthropists: Amber King and Teresa Pierce. They are two of the thousands we are fortunate to call donors. Because of all of you, we are more effective in fulfilling our mission. THANK YOU! |
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Celebrate With Us!
Did you know that volunteering can be beneficial to your physical and mental health?
The Family Giving Tree Elves want to help make sure you're well fed and well informed by holding a serious culinary competition while celebrating our most dedicated volunteers. We invite YOU to join us for our Angel Elf Appreciation and Informational Dinner and learn more about becoming a part of this amazing team of volunteers. On April 18th, from 6-8pm in San Jose, we will be celebrating the hard work and dedication of our long-time Angel Elves AND welcoming those who wish to become a bigger part in making the wishes of thousands of children come true.
Join us at our Angel Elf Appreciation and Informational dinner by contacting Katie at katie@familygivingtree.org by April 11th.
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Family Giving Tree Fiction
 We really do love our volunteers!
It was another cold December morning in the Holiday Drive warehouse.
The Elves are preparing for the day; checking the schedule for which volunteer groups are coming for the first shift and negotiating over who will train whom, griping about the cold, hoping someone will bring us a warm lunch, discussing whether Al got any sleep the night before, wondering if Katie's stress level about the upcoming Executive Elf Challenge is under control...a typical warehouse morning.
And then they start to trickle in. First just as ones and twos, and then larger groups from Silicon Valley companies began flooding through the doors. Soon the lobby is filled with anxious and motivated volunteers eager to get started on their tasks.
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