Share Your Heart white Logo

Share Your Heart

This Valentine’s Day, Volunteer Fox Cities is sharing our heart for volunteerism and asking you to do the same! At Volunteer Fox Cities, you don’t have to choose between two causes close to your heart, or between three nonprofits whose missions you believe in — we support them all!

When you share your heart with Volunteer Fox Cities, your contribution goes further. We collaborate with community organizations and our nonprofit members to help identify their needs and connect volunteers to impactful opportunities right here in our community.

Will you share your heart with us?

Share Your Heart Logo

Year at a Glance

  • Give Back for MLK Day
    • $6,592 economic impact on the community*
  • Began work on Fox Cities COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
  • VFC plays significant role in providing volunteers for Fox Cities COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic, recruiting, scheduling, and coordinating hundreds of volunteers and hours 

 

*$28.54 value of a volunteer hour, determined by the Independent Sector

  • VFC continues significant role in coordination with Fox Cities COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic; since February, onboarding 128 new clinic volunteers, assisting in registration for volunteers for shifts covering over 11,000 hours of service
  • Celebrate National Volunteer Week and launch PSA for volunteering in the Fox Cities
  • Give Back for Earth Day
    • $7,877 economic impact on the community*
  • Grant applications completed
  • Summer Bash sponsorship commitments

 

*$28.54 value of a volunteer hour, determined by the Independent Sector

  • Website redesign begins
  • Grant awarded for Tech Education program for adults
  • Summer Give Back Bash
    • $12,414 economic impact on the community*

 

*$28.54 value of a volunteer hour, determined by the Independent Sector

  • Strategic planning by board and staff of VFC, solidifying community-focused plans
  • Give Back for Make a Difference Day 
    • $2,140 economic impact on the community*
  • 3 new board members join
  • VolunteerFEST Oshkosh and Fox Cities takes place
    • Oshkosh 35 nonprofits attend
    • Fox Cities 50 nonprofits attend
  • Release of Volunteer Connections Holiday Guide of nonprofit wish list items 

 

*$28.54 value of a volunteer hour, determined by the Independent Sector

ANNUAL REPORT

Give Back Events

VFC is always reimagining our programming to develop ways to best assist nonprofits with their volunteer needs. Our quarterly Give Back Events provide an element of fun and mystery, while unifying community members in giving back. Volunteers are involved in 3-4 hours of valuable community service work to assist nonprofits with volunteer projects to help them meet their missions. There is also an education aspect too, so participants learn about nonprofits and the important work that is going on in our community. 2021 saw the first calendar year where we were able to realize our goal of one larger Give Back Event per quarter. We now have opportunities for our corporate partners to be a part of a Give Back event 4 times per year.

Give Back for MLK Day logo

77 Volunteers
8 Locations

economic impact
$ 0
Give Back for Earth Day logo

92 Volunteers
5 Locations

economic impact
$ 0
Give Back Bash logo

145 Volunteers
11 Locations

economic impact
$ 0
Give Back for MADD logo

25 Volunteers
4 Locations

economic impact
$ 0

GIVE BACK EVENTS ANNUAL RECAP

339

Volunteers

1,017

Volunteer Hours

20+

Nonprofit Locations

$29,025.18

Economic Impact in Our Community

“It was a great experience. Glad to be able to help.”

Give Back Bus Participant

Nonprofit Members

At Volunteer Fox Cities, we know that whatever the cause, whatever the mission — volunteers are the backbone of our community. That’s why we put so much effort into developing, coordinating, and promoting our services to support our partner nonprofits. Agencies can count on Volunteer Fox Cities to be their go-to resource for personalized recruitment, agency, and event support. 

2021 saw service of nearly 100 nonprofit agencies serving the Fox Valley area. 2022 will see expansion to welcome over 20 agencies serving the Oshkosh area. 

Give Back Bus

The Give Back Bus is a mobile volunteer movement, with a little mystery! Each Give Back Bus raises awareness for local causes, educates people on issues directly impacting their community, builds a sense of pride and teamwork for participants, and promotes a culture of civic engagement and responsibility. This program began rolling again in 2021 after halting due to COVID-19 precautions. 

3

Bus Events

40

Riders

120

Volunteer Hours

$3,424

Economic Impact

Give Back Bus frame
Give Back Bus group

“My sister and my niece and nephew and I had a FANTASTIC time at the event!!”

Give Back for MLK Day Participant

Tech Ed for Adults

two women using laptop
man holding phone

Volunteer Fox Cities has developed Tech-ED for Older Adults, a no-cost technology education program for older adults, currently age 50+. The program offers free one-on-one learning sessions where participants can bring their electronic devices, or use an iPad available to borrow, and meet with an instructor who will walk them through any technology challenges they are facing. Sessions could include learning how to use email, video calling, safety features, popular apps and much more. The program also includes free classroom sessions for groups of two to five older adults. Participants learn how to access technology options, including FaceTime and Zoom. 

  • Program successfully implemented and launched fall 2021
  • 60+ participants met over 130+ sessions with additional waitlist participants for 2022 sessions
  • Survey results indicate an overall improvement in the ability to connect with others and improved technology skills
  • All participants that began program completed it with exceptional reviews, recommendations to others and excellent instructor comments

RSVP & 55+ Senior Volunteer Program

The Retired & Senior Volunteer 55+ Program (RSVP) is an AmeriCorps Seniors program that offers individuals 55 and older volunteer opportunities at local nonprofit organizations. Volunteers use their skills & life experiences to serve our community. Volunteers make an impact in these key areas such as transportation, nutrition, companionship, housing, and fitness. Service may include activities such as providing transportation to medical appointments, placing phone calls to isolated older adults to increase social connection, building safe, affordable homes, and delivering meals to homebound elderly adults.

  • RSVP recruited 24 new volunteers, bringing total enrollment to over 300 members
  • TeleMatch/ElderMatch program to reduce social isolation among the elderly is growing, increasing matches from prior year by more than 600%
  • Hooks ‘n Needles knitting and crocheting group’s 37 members served over 12,000 hours creating more than 1,800 pieces of clothing that were distributed to local nonprofits for people in need in the Fox Cities
  • Between April – September 2021:
    • 14 volunteers built or rehabbed 6 affordable homes for Habitat for Humanity
    • 40 volunteers provided rides to 280 individuals
    • 7 volunteers either served or delivered meals to 55 individuals
  • 6 RSVP volunteers were honored with certificates for 20+ years of service at the Governor’s Service Awards in Madison
elderly woman talking on phone
hands of woman crocheting
three people working on construction of garage

NEW Family Volunteering Program

We are excited to announce the creation our new program that will offer families chances to be a part of volunteering days at least once a quarter — Branches! 

Families will register to be a part of the program and have the opportunity to sign up for these family-friendly projects which will include volunteering and education. The program is currently in its final development stages with registration beginning soon. For more information, follow Volunteer Fox Cities on Facebook.

Volunteer Fox Cities shares our heart for volunteers and giving back each day. We connect people to create positive impacts and enrich the quality of life in the Fox Valley through our vast network of nonprofit members, corporate partners and expertise in volunteerism. 

In 2021, Volunteer Fox Cities directly helped create an economic impact of well over $30,000 into the Fox Cities community. We need your help to increase that impact. Will you share your heart this year? Sign up to be a volunteer, give to our organization, and share this report with your community. When you share your heart, you’re giving back to those around you.