Posted: Aug 4, 2009 10:34 AM
United Way of Northwest Louisiana has been named the northwest Louisiana affiliate for HandsOn Network, a regional volunteer center.
HandsOn Network connects thousands of volunteers to meaningful service opportunities throughout the United States, and increasingly, throughout the world. Affiliates work on a “community-wide” basis across various issues to develop high-impact volunteer programming. Through building relationships with nonprofit, school, faith-based, corporate partners and others, affiliates play a critical role in leveraging volunteer power to the fullest affect. Affiliates implement programming in a wide variety of ways, shaping their work according to the assets and needs of their local communities.
United Way being the Northwest Louisiana HandsOn Affiliate will help them to further their mission; mobilizing the spirit of the community to improve peoples’ lives. The volunteer center will help advance this mission by focusing its efforts in four areas, volunteer match and referral, youth volunteerism, disaster relief and volunteer management training and consultation.
The volunteer center is being headed by United Way of Northwest Louisiana’s Manager of Volunteer Services, Crystal Dallas. "Our designation as the volunteer center for our region helps us fulfill one of the three things we ask of the region, which are to Give, Advocate, and Volunteer,” said Dr. Bruce Willson, Executive Director of United Way. “We are thrilled to be entrusted with this opportunity and look forward to enabling the desires of so many people who want to be involved in a meaningful way with a non-profit agency!"
To help United Way ensure the Northwest Louisiana HandsOn Affiliate’s success in the community, an advisory council has been set in place. The advisory council is made up of individuals who encompass all sectors of the community and who are actively involved in volunteer services. The advisory council members are:
- Lee Jeter, Fuller Center for Housing
- Theresa Micheels, Caddo-Bossier RSVP
- Becky Cooksey, Community Volunteer
- Kay Irby, LANO-Shreveport
- Crystal Dallas, United Way of Northwest Louisiana
The Northwest Louisiana HandsOn Affiliate’s first major involvement in the community will be with United Way’s 2009 Day of Caring. For more information please contact Crystal Dallas at (318) 677-2504 or volunteers@unitedwaynwla.org
