The Vision

The vision of our founders in 1983 was to  create a clearinghouse – a single place – where organizations could tell what help they needed and volunteers could find out how they could help in our community.

An advisory committee, called the Voluntary Action Center Advisory Committee was formed in 1982 representing 10 nonprofit organizations that involved and needed volunteers, and several community members. Their goals? To form a Voluntary Action Center, file for incorporation, and apply for ACTION funding.

Founding Board of Directors, 1983
Susan Goebel – President
Katie Osborn - Vice President
Lillian Fischer – Secretary
Nancy Roskopf – Treasurer
Jewel Bjerk
Barbara Deters
Michael Hron
Patti Luedtke
Sue Moser
Kathy Potter
Kay Sweeney Radke
Kathy Saemann
Sharon Teigen
Sue Thornton
Sharon Ziegler

1983, Original Purpose Statement
The purpose shall be to establish and operate a Voluntary Action Center for Washington County, Wisconsin so that volunteer citizen participation in health, social service, religious, educational and other civic or cultural activities and services will be increased and coordinated for the enrichment of the volunteer, as well as the community.

                       Milestones Through 25 Years

Presidents Honor Roll

1983
The Voluntary Action Center of Washington County was formed:  First year’s total budget was $4266.37:  First member of staff hired - Ann Stoffel, 16 hours / week.

All efforts were put into building community relationships, agency partnerships and serving volunteers and spreading the word about who this agency was and how it could help the community. The central program was the clearinghouse program to learn what community agencies needed and to recruit and refer volunteers to meet those needs.

The agency’s first home is the Frisby House in West Bend. Volunteers staff the office!

1984
Endowment Fund is created through the generosity of Doug and Sharon Ziegler:  Organized a Volunteer Recognition for National Volunteer Week - serving the county as a hub of activity for the celebration of the week!

1985
Rita Sorenson became the Executive Director, 5 hours per day. Rita stayed until December of 1993:  Produced a directory of volunteer opportunities.

1986
169 volunteers interviewed and placed in referrals to 34 community agencies:  The Voluntary Action Center worked in partnership with the Department of Social Services to deliver Christmas dinners and Gifts through the Holiday Bureau:  The Voluntary Action Center developed 4 programs: Clearinghouse, Skills Bank, Volunteer Recognition / Community Education, Youth Involvement:  The Center and Conley Media begin honoring volunteers by name during National Volunteer week! This first ad was 2 pages, color and featured 784 names.

1987
The name was changed to the Volunteer Center of Washington County:  Team for Two began, linking one youth volunteer with one adult volunteer to do service:  The new logo was adopted from the National Volunteer Center featuring the heart in the box – the same one we still use!

1988
July – United Way asks Volunteer Center of Washington County to create a youth program, receives additional $3000:  Agency moves to the Centrum Building: Volunteer Center serves 41 agencies.

1989
Mission Adopted: The mission of the Volunteer Center is to help solve problems and meet needs by promoting effective and creative volunteering and by maximizing community resources. The Volunteer Center serves as an advocate and catalyst for volunteerism, provides leadership and support for volunteer efforts and is the central clearinghouse for volunteering in this community.

The agency gets its first computer:  A question is added to the volunteer interview form – would you volunteer in a disaster?:
Agency does Great Pumpkin Caper fund raiser!!

1990
1000th volunteer interviewed – Scott Stewart – He was placed with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Washington County:  Youth Program becomes VYTOL – Volunteer Youth Team of Leaders – thank you, Mary Liebetrau!

1991
“The Volunteer Center does much more than simply supply volunteers by working as a clearinghouse. We also coordinate Recognition of volunteers, provide Training for Volunteer Coordinators and play a supportive role to all our agencies.” Rita Sorenson, Executive Director

Volunteer Center begins Outstanding Volunteer Awards – thank you, Ann Berndes!

1992
Mission Statement adopted with strategic plan:
The mission of the Volunteer Center is to help solve problems and meet needs by promoting effective and creative volunteering and by maximizing community resources. The Volunteer Center serves as an advocate and catalyst for volunteering, provides leadership and support for volunteer efforts and is the central clearinghouse for volunteering in this community.

Center adopts year-long theme – “Volunteers at the Heart of Change”

1993
Long Range Plan Priorities are adopted
1. Identified need for more staffing to continue programs already doing.
2. Desire to move to a more visible location – Main St.!
3. Take the clearinghouse program to Hartford.

April – 10th Anniversary Celebration held at West Bend Mutual Insurance

1994
Patti Christensen hired as Executive Director for 29 hrs / wk. Patti serves for 5 years:  The first Make A Difference day – Governor proclamation, Oct. 22 – thank you, Ellen Ryd!

1995
Hosted First Board Institute:  Began new programs: Tutoring / Mentoring, and Financial Counselors – thank you, Karen Berg!

1996
Published a quarterly newsletter:  Programs of the Agency had grown to: 1.Clearinghouse, 2. Youth and VYTOL, 3. Volunteer Coordinator Training / Agency Resource Development, 4. Board Bank / Skills Bank, Financial Counselors, Volunteer Recognition / Community Education, Corporate and Community Service, Tutoring / Mentoring:  283 volunteers placed in service this year!

1997
April - President’s Summit on Volunteerism held in Philadelphia:  October - Wisconsin Summit on Volunteerism - Washington County sends delegation of 5 youth, 5 adults attending:  Make a Difference Day – Managed the Project: Shelf reading the whole library

1998
New Mission Statement adopted and Strategic Plan completed
The mission of the Volunteer Center is to maximize community resources by serving as an advocate and catalyst for volunteering by providing leadership and support for non-profit community agencies and by being the central clearinghouse for volunteering in Washington County.

Tag Line adopted: “The Volunteer Center links volunteer resources to community needs” :  April - Held the Washington County Volunteer Summit, Hartford

1999
Betsy Wilcox new and current Executive Director was hired:  Coordinated the Blitz Build for Habitat for Humanity selected as the Make a Difference Day project - 1st build in Washington County, Oct. 16, 280 volunteers – thank you, Kristen Wolfgram!

Handcrafters Project begins – involves home-based volunteers:  1212 volunteer referrals made

2000
New tag line adopted, "When You Touch Us, You Touch Everyone":  Agency serves 50 agencies:  First Roses for the Heart Sale

2001
Frugal agency operating with two working telephones for 4 staff:  9/11 changes the perception of how Volunteer Centers across America help - Our Center receives calls to link volunteers to our national disaster:  Make A Difference Day goals fold into Disaster Preparedness and Response after 9/11:  1st computer database of all volunteer opportunities created – thank you, Janet Lull!

2002
Volunteer designs new Volunteer Center brochure:  Computer Recycling Service begins Nov. 2002:  Placed 23 used computer systems in our member agencies through Cast-Away Computers donations

2003
Shared office space in Hartford with the 4 other agencies in the Community Enrichment Center:  Taught volunteer management to community volunteer coordinators through Volunteer Management 101 workshop – thank you, Tracy Senkbeil!

Got technology grant from SBC to fund all new computer system:  Formally began VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) of Washington County

2004 – a pivotal year
• Moved to 237 N. Main St.
• August - launched www.volunteernow.net website
• New technology installed
• Expand Computer Recycling as a year-round service
• New Citizen Corps program launched
• UASI (Urban Area Security Initiative) funding gained

2005
New program structure adopted - simplified to Volunteer Connection and Resource Connection

Mission language adopted: The Volunteer Center of Washington County connects volunteer services with nonprofit organizations to improve the quality of life in Washington County.

Conley Media supports and creates a National Volunteer Week pull out tabloid to honor volunteers!

In aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, Wilcox joins 41 other Volunteer Center Executive Directors in disaster response aid in the three states: Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi.

Citizen Corps coordinates the creation of 6 credentialing systems for county emergency response volunteers.

2006
Moved the volunteer registration to an online system at www.volunteernow.net

Open 24 hours a day on the website

Citizen Corps or Washington County volunteers activated for Hartford tornado - first in state

2007
55 member agencies; “Click Here to Volunteer” public relations campaign brings volunteers to our website!

Electronics make all the difference!  Referrals JUMP to 2,776 for the year!  Number of volunteers increases to 963!  Website gets 12,918 visitors.  Value of Volunteer Connections tops $1,250,000!

Citizen Corps of Washington County and the Volunteer Reception Center plan for emergency volunteer management are designated as state models!

Celebrate the Present

2008 Board of Directors
 
Dan Anhalt – President
Jim Schwalen – Vice President
Steve Zimmel – Secretary
Danielle Wills – Treasurer
Kelly Tighe – Past President
Pat Hrobsky
Gerald Kudek
Tracey MacGregor

2008
Celebrating our past and present:  Planning for a strong future.

Staff that make this happen: Candy Shoop, Amy Swanson, Kate Kaczmarczik, Betsy Wilcox

2008 budget is $178,882 
Funded by:
the United Way of Washington County and the United Way of Greater Milwaukee (26%)
all grants including the Department of Homeland Security for Citizen Corps of Washington County (28%)
donated services (3%), fund raising (11%), foundations (11%), contributions (15%), membership fees (5%)
investment income (1%)

Plans include expanding service to additional agencies, moving from 55 to 60 organizations; providing more volunteer coordinator education services in 2008, increasing workshops to 9;  sharing and teaching emergency response volunteer management; increasing our outreach by steady website improvements to engage more volunteers in service.

Much of our accomplishment on community goals is done through active participation in coalitions. 
Here are some of our involvements:  
County-based:  All Hazards Preparedness Coalition, Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD) of  Washington County, Nonprofit Toolbox Workshop Coalition 
Regional: Urban Area Security Initiative Citizen Preparedness Workgroup, Volunteer Centers of Southeastern Wisconsin
State: State Health Department Expert Panel on Emergency Volunteer Management, Governor's Citizen Corps Council, Wisconsin Nonprofit Association, Wisconsin Association of Volunteer Centers, Wisconsin Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (VOAD)

Our Bright Future

Please join us and help us write the next chapter.....