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4 minute read
We may be a bit biased, but volunteers on Catchafire are an essential resource to the nonprofit sector. Skills-based volunteers provide nonprofits with the extra skills, time, and support they need to focus on their missions and communities. To date, volunteers on Catchafire have donated over one million hours and have helped nonprofits save over $192 million dollars in project support.
The impact goes beyond these metrics and shines throughout the West Coast thanks to our incredible volunteers and partners like Annenberg Foundation, Community First Foundation, Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, and Patagonia. As part of National Volunteer Month, we’re highlighting inspirational stories and volunteers from our nonprofit partners and foundation leaders in the West.
Museum of Contemporary Art Tucson
Tucson, Arizona
Cause: Arts & Culture
Foundation Partner: Community Foundation for Southern Arizona
MOCA Tucson inspires new ways of thinking through the cultivation, exhibition, and interpretation of contemporary art. The museum has saved over $14,000 in project support by using volunteers on Catchafire.
As a cultural institution close to the border, it is important for the museum to have exhibitions labeled in both Spanish and English in order to promote inclusivity and accessibility to the Tucson community. MOCA Tucson worked with Melina on a translation project. Collaborating with Melina allowed the museum to use funds on additional marketing efforts in promoting the exhibition.
"Working with Melina was great! She is super speedy and a clear communicator. So appreciated the help in translating text for an upcoming exhibition."
Dana H., Marketing and Office Manager
Ocean Connectors
National City, California
Causes: Environment, Diversity & Inclusion, Education
Funding Partner: Patagonia
The Ocean Connectors mission is to educate, inspire, and connect youth in underserved Pacific coastal communities through the study of migratory marine life. Their vision is to cultivate a future generation of passionate, globally-aware, and empowered coastal residents who take active steps to enjoy and protect ocean health. They accomplish this by providing environmental education programs for students in the U.S. and Mexico as well as public coastal Eco Tours in San Diego, California. Ocean Connectors has saved over $13,000 in project support by working with volunteers on Catchafire.
Ocean Connectors worked with Anita on a social media project to brainstorm ways to create an environmental club online and reach children with limited access to the internet.
“Everyone has had to adjust and adapt to the new circumstances due to the COVID pandemic. Mexico is not an exception. Our target group, kids from 9-12 enrolled in public elementary schools from underserved communities, have very limited access to the internet, making any virtual education very difficult. Our goal talking to Anita was to figure out different ways to continue providing Mexican students with environmental education.
Thanks to Anita’s skills and enthusiasm, new opportunities to reach the kids are going to be possible. We are creating an Ocean Connectors environmental club through social media."
Maria H., Binational Programs Coordinator
Family Promise of Greater Denver
Denver, Colorado
Cause: Housing & Homelessness
Foundation Partner: Community First Foundation
Family Promise of Greater Denver’s mission is to form relationships with families at risk of or experiencing homelessness by providing shelter, meals, and a spectrum of supportive services as they obtain permanent stability. Since posting their first project on Catchafire in January 2021, Family Promise of Greater Denver has saved over $137,000 on 13 projects.
They worked with Daniel on a Branded Digital Assets project that saved $3,000, allowing them to spend those funds on helping more families. Daniel helped improve their digital marketing materials with the goal of increasing community engagement and brand awareness.
"Daniel offered great advice for condensing information and making it presentable and digestible. His designs matched our organization's look and feel, and we are so happy to have worked with him. These deliverables will no doubt help us put our best foot forward in showcasing who we are to new donors."
Arlinda F., Office and Volunteer Manager
Noah’s Animal House Foundation
Reno, Nevada
Causes: Animals, Gender Equity & Justice, Violence Prevention
Foundation Partner: Annenberg Foundation
Noah’s Animal House Foundation operates full service pet facilities on the campus of domestic violence shelters so that women no longer have to choose between leaving their abuser and leaving their pet behind to be abused. They aim to remove the "No Pets Allowed" signs on domestic violence shelter doors across the U.S.
Through Catchafire, Noah’s Animal House Foundation has saved over $38,000 in project support. They connected with Blair, a local Reno resident, for assistance on Instagram set up and strategy. With Blair’s help, they were able to use Instagram to improve engagement with their community. The cost savings allowed the Foundation to focus funds on equipment and care for pets.
“Blair was truly a blessing to work with. She went above and beyond to assist with our nonprofit. Being that she is local, she came to our establishment and worked with me to create an onsite video. While she was helping with that, her husband was volunteering his time to help walk the dogs and play with the cats. She took control of the project, provided an agenda for every meeting, created suggestions and worksheets for me to use. I was able to easily implement the suggestions and if I had any questions she was there to assist. Even though this project is completed, our work together is not. She has become a friend and a volunteer. I would work with Blair every day if I could!”
Kristin M., Marketing/Volunteer Manager
Volunteer Spotlight
One of our top contributing volunteers on the West Coast is Steven, a designer from Los Angeles with 25 years of cross-industry experience. Since 2015, Steven has volunteered on Catchafire for 126 projects, saving nonprofits $493,047 in expenses and quickly approaching half a million dollars in savings!
There’s many ways to get involved with Catchafire
- Sign up to volunteer and support critical programming for nonprofits.
- If you’re a grantmaker and would like to learn more about equipping nonprofits in your community with responsive, high-quality operational support, let’s connect. Email us here.
