United Way of Henry County & Martinsville wants local nonprofits and businesses to weigh in on developing a centralized engagement and management system to mobilize volunteers, according to a press release.
“How do we develop a strong volunteer system for our community? People see things that would be helpful to a community, but finding a way to pull all the pieces together to make it work can be challenging,” said Sheryl Agee, senior operating officer at The Harvest Foundation. “We know it is important as volunteers often help keep the doors open and enable nonprofits to deliver vital programs and services. Studies show that volunteering is also good for our own physical and mental health. It keeps us in regular contact with others and helps develop social networks and support systems to help when we may be going through a challenging time.”
The Harvest Foundation funded a Pick Up the Pace! grant of $6,682.50 to assess specific volunteer needs of organizations and how willing organizations are to adopt a centralized system.
Philip Wenkstern, executive director of the United Way of Henry County & Martinsville, said he recognizes the integral role volunteers play in the ability of organizations to achieve their respective missions.
“We hope this grant is the first step toward creating a local volunteer engagement and management system that benefits organizations throughout our community,” he said. “We are thankful to the Harvest Foundation for supporting the research and planning that the United Way will pursue as we work to build a system that benefits everyone.”
One example of the impact volunteers have on Martinsville-Henry County is the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) Program, a premier initiative of the United Way. According to Wenkstern, this program is almost entirely volunteer run and staffed, engaging nearly 20 volunteers who contribute roughly 2,500 hours of time annually. These volunteers prepare more than 1,600 tax returns which generate nearly $2.5 million in tax refunds and almost $500,000 in tax filing fee savings for some of the community’s most economically disadvantaged members.
“Nonprofits are often understaffed and operating on a shoestring budget,” Wenkstern said. “The opportunity to address pressing community challenges by leveraging the passion and expertise of our local residents is an important resource that needs to be strengthened.”
The United Way of Henry County & Martinsville is holding its Day of Action and Annual Campaign Kickoff on Sept. 23. To find out more, visit unitedwayofhcm.org. 
