For those who are on the ground working directly with communities, we know our work simply cannot be done without a number of partners, including donors; local, state, and federal government; other organizational partners; and of course, the children and families themselves. I’d like to shine a light on one of Pablove’s most important constituents—our volunteers—and discuss why they are so instrumental to the work that we do in the healing arts.

  1. Volunteers are your biggest advocates: In any organization, volunteers are not only your biggest advocates; they often are the first to adopt your mission.
  2. They provide hours of their time and expertise: It’s nothing new to say that volunteer hours have a monetary value. Time is money, and our volunteers provide plenty of time to support our organization’s goals.
  3. Volunteers make us better professionals and people: I have many stories on how volunteers have taught me lessons on being a better professional. Acknowledging their work and saying thank you is a must, but helping them grow in other ways (i.e. developing their skill set in the healing arts, connecting them to other photographers and professionals in the field) is equally important.

Read the full article on volunteers by Jane Cheung at Americans for the Arts.