Goodwill Industries-Manasota Honored as the 2013 Goodwill Volunteer Program of the Year Award
Sarasota, FL — A cadre of more than 300 volunteers dedicated 25,000 hours in 2012 to spreading the mission of Goodwill Industries-Manasota (Sarasota, FL). Goodwill Industries International named the Sarasota Goodwill’s Ambassador Program the 2013 Volunteer Program of the Year.
Ambassadors from the program routinely speak with service clubs, faith-based organizations, professional associations, youth groups and others to build awareness of Goodwill’s programs and services, as well as Goodwill’s contribution to the community.
The program is a successful partnership between unpaid volunteers and a full-time, paid Goodwill staff member who oversees the program, recruits and trains volunteers, and develops ways to recognize and retain ambassadors.
Volunteers also assist with donation drives and fundraising events, including an annual Mardi Gras Party, which raised $180,000 in 2012, and the Ambassador Awards Dinner, which raised $150,000.
“Goodwill Industries-Manasota has developed a proven volunteer structure that extends the agency’s resources and enhances external communications and public outreach,” said Jim Gibbons, President and CEO of Goodwill Industries International. “Volunteers come from all walks of life and share a passion for Goodwill’s mission of providing job training for people with disabilities and disadvantages.”
The award will be presented during Goodwill’s annual Delegate Assembly in Grand Rapids, MI, on Sunday, June 23.
ABOUT THE AWARD
The Volunteer Program of the Year Award recognizes an outstanding volunteer-driven program at a member Goodwill organization that is mission focused and outcomes oriented. The winning program has a lasting impact on the people Goodwill serves and is a model for other Goodwill organizations to replicate.
