Since April is Volunteer Appreciation Month, I wanted to share with you five reasons why I love our Girls Inc. volunteers:

1) Everyone is committed to our mission: With each volunteer I interview, I learn something about her that makes her committed to the mission of Girls Inc. Whether the volunteer struggled with negative feelings about her body as a child or wants to help create the next generation of leaders in Indianapolis, I am continuously inspired by the personal interest each volunteer has when they walk through our doors. It’s obvious that Girls Inc. volunteers take ownership and pride in their desire to encourage the girls of Indianapolis to be strong, smart, and bold.

2) Volunteers come from different backgrounds:  We have a wealth of diversity in our volunteer pool. An 18 year-old volunteer may pair with a 65 year-old volunteer to facilitate a program. We may have a doctor paired with a stay at home mom or a masters student paired with a businesswoman. Our volunteers grew up in a wide range of homes with personal experiences that have molded them into the women that they are today. This creates great teachable moments for our girls in the classroom.

3) They’re vital to our organization and become part of our Girls Inc. family on multiple levels: Our volunteers help us fulfill our intention: to provide hands-on programs that address the challenges girls face today. Without our volunteers, we wouldn’t be close to reaching 4,100 girls like we did in 2011. We are so proud of the impact that they make and cherish their involvement!

4) They help us branch out to meet more women who want to empower girls: One of the greatest things a volunteer can do, besides lead a program, is to reach out to her friends, family members, and coworkers to become advocates for girls. I am amazed at how many volunteers recruit new volunteers for us from their personal and professional networks. We are grateful for each reference we receive because with each new volunteer is the opportunity to reach more girls in the area!

5) They come back: Our volunteers are all busy people with a wide range of commitments. I am so impressed that despite that fact, they continuously sign up for a program or Lunch Bunch cycle after cycle. These lasting relationships show the commitment of our volunteers to our cause.

Are you a new volunteer who would like to hear from one of our veteran volunteers? Come to our Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon this Wednesday to listen to our wonderful volunteer Sarah Bradbury talk about her experiences.