BEND, OR -- For over a decade, Volunteer Connect has matched local volunteers with nonprofits in need of help. But, that is coming to an end. It’s not because nonprofits no longer need people. It’s because Volunteer Connect founder and unpaid Executive Director Betsy Wariner is stepping down next year.
Board chair Dana Perry says the organization tried to find a way to continue operations with a paid executive director. “It just became increasingly clear that the organization would just not be able to support the cost of a paid E.D., just because of the lack of sustainable funds.”
In its 12-year run, Volunteer Connect matched hundreds of local volunteers with more than 150 nonprofits. Perry tells KBND News, “The staff was very good at working with volunteers to better understand what they were looking for. And then working with the organizations to understand what they were offering as volunteer opportunities.”
Volunteer Connect is exploring the idea of passing its programming and infrastructure on to another organization, agency or educational institution. A celebration of the group, Warriner and staff is slated for this fall.
