Volunteers of America's 2018 New Year's Goals
As we wrap up Christmas and look ahead to the New Year, this season always provides an opportunity to envision what we want to accomplish in the next 12 months. The current political and cultural environment provides a lot of uncertainty, which makes planning for the future all the more difficult, especially for an organization like Volunteers of America.
The share of our funding coming from government sources has shrunk in recent years and most likely will not return to what it was in the past. As many people as ever need our help, and we depend increasingly on the support of individuals and other private donors to make sure our services keep up with demand. But finding that private support is impossible if people don’t know about Volunteers of America and what we do.
So my number one resolution for 2018 … continue progress we’ve made to ensure that the mission and ministry of Volunteers of America becomes more well-known than it ever has been before.
We like to joke that Volunteers of America is the best kept secret in the communities where we work. And historically, that’s been true. But in an age when the needs are so great, and there are so many organizations competing for limited resources, silently going about our work does not serve the best interests of our clients. To be truly effective in our mission, we must do all we can to let people know that we exist and are here to help. And they need to know not just what we’re doing for those in our need, but why we do it. Our ministry of service and its deeper mission to uplift all people is just as important as a list of our varied services … because it is that mission that truly sets Volunteers of America apart.
In this New Year’s period of renewal and rebirth, my goal is that Volunteers of America continues to emerge as a shining beacon to guide our nation in new directions, whatever those directions might be. We can’t be shy or timid about sharing the news of our good works. We must be bold and remove our light from under the bushel, not because of a misguided sense of pride, but because that’s what the people we help deserve.
Thank you,
Mike King
President/CEO