From the Volunteer Office
Hello Volunteers,
Happy summer! As warmth unfolds over Milwaukee, we are filled with gratitude for the vibrant community of volunteers who bring light and hope to those we serve. This season, our mission to provide compassionate care and support continues to flourish thanks to your unwavering dedication. We are excited to share many new updates with you!
Want to share your story? Insights about your experience are welcome! Just send your comments & feedback to jbrandt@ccmke.org.
What's Inside this Newsletter:
- Big change coming! Exciting and important news for all volunteer programs!
- Making lifelong friendships at our Annual Adoption Picnic.
- Welcoming new members and old friends at the Adult Day Center!
- Volunteers share their stories about volunteering! New video spotlights!
- Introducing a new volunteer role: Learning Together!
- Photo gallery
The Heart of our mission is compassion which calls us to journey with others.
No one should have to face hardship alone. Thank you for being a great neighbor to everyone. We feel so blessed to walk with you as we create a world we all hope for and desire, one of friendship, joy, compassion and dreams realized.
SOME EXCITING and important NEWS ...
We are getting a new Volunteer Management System!
We will be transitioning from Better Impact to a new platform called Galaxy Digital. This program is used by local United Ways and other Catholic Charities throughout the country. What a great opportunity to engage new and current volunteers! We hope to have the new system up and running in September.
Stay tuned for more information as we get closer to its launch!
Adoption Picnic
Making lifelong friends at our annual adoption picnic!
Families who have adopted children through our program along with families waiting to be matched gathered together to enjoy good food, share parenting tips and make lifelong friendships. Babies and big kids giggled as they played games together while parents laughed and swapped stories.
Catholic Charities volunteers assisted our staff in organizing and playing games with the children, serving lunch, and of course, holding babies!
THE ADC IS GROWING IN MEMBERS
We are excited to share that our Adult Day Center is welcoming new members!
In a beautiful, homelike setting, Catholic Charities Adult Day Center provides a safe, supervised setting that meets the varying daily care needs of the participants, while encouraging them to maintain self-help and social skills.
Our daily programming is based entirely on participants' needs and wants which include puzzles, games, accessible exercise, art and more!
Know someone who would love to share their passion for art or music? How about someone who enjoys leading people through accessible exercise?
Volunteers are welcome to share their unique skills with our Adult Day Center members. From art projects to singing and dancing, volunteers bring so much joy to our ADC members!
RIS VOLUNTEERS SHARE THEIR TESTIMONIES
Starting with Volunteer Appreciation week back in April, we invited a few of our amazing volunteers to share their stories during the information session for prospective volunteers as part of their onboarding process.
Volunteers shared why they chose to work with Catholic Charities, details about their volunteer role, and what this experience has been like for them.
Watch Ken's video below!
Want to share your story?
We invite and encourage volunteers in all roles to share your story with us! It is a great way to encourage prospective volunteers to join us.
"It is extremely rewarding to create a friendship and to be welcomed into their [his learners'] home. I was privileged to be able to sit down with them, eat their food, and learn alongside them. It is humbling." — Will, Citizenship Volunteer
MARQUETTE HIGH SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS RETURN FOR A VISIT
Mason and Bek, Marquette High School graduates, returned to the Adult Day Center for a visit.
Impacted by the positive experience they had in the fall; they wanted to return and visit our ADC members, who made a lasting impact.
Each year, MUHS seniors go into the community to volunteer and gain firsthand experience with organizations that serve neighbors in need. The students brought enthusiasm and joy and helped coordinate activities, like card games, puzzles, and preparing lunch. They especially enjoyed their conversations with our members.
"I look back fondly on this time which I got to be present and laugh with new people— you and all the clients themselves. You all hugely impress me with the work you do! I hope to make a return to say hi to you all and the clients in the future!" — Mason
New Volunteer ROle
Volunteer with a friend or a family member to help support refugee and immigrant families learn English!
Rebuilding your life in a new country is challenging, even without a language barrier. Catholic Charities, with the crucial help of volunteers, bridges the language gap for refugees and immigrants.
Volunteers can now volunteer with a partner chosen by you! This could be your teenager, spouse, or a friend.
You will then be matched with a family from a from a refugee or immigrant background to tutor them in fundamental English literacy skills. Volunteers will tutor both the parent(s) and child(ren), so together they become confident speakers, readers, and writers of English. Tutoring occurs in the home to meet the needs of learners facing barriers to attending traditional English classes, such as transportation or childcare. Training is provided.
If you are currently working with a family and would like to add a partner or know someone who is interested, please reach out to us!
Do you love volunteering with us?
Let us know!
If you have 90 seconds to spare, we would love it if you wrote us a review on Volunteer Match. We want to recruit more amazing volunteers like you!
This enables us to continue providing the best volunteer expereince possible. It also encourages prospective volunteers to join us in our mission to serve our neighbors in need.
We love new ideas!
Have an idea about volunteering? Please don't hesitate to share it with us! Email Jessica at jbrandt@ccmke.org