Volunteer Center Launches Board Matching Program for Corporations

“Non-profit organizations continually face the challenge of finding committed board members”, states Erica West, Director of Corporate Engagement at the Volunteer Center of Bergen County. “It is estimated that nearly 2 million non-profit board seats need to be filled each year.” The Volunteer Center’s BoardLink fills this gap by providing personalized matching services to skilled corporate professionals who have an interest in giving back to the community through nonprofit board service. By leveraging their 50 years of experience with non-profits and volunteer service, the Volunteer Center is poised to both fill a tremendous need in the community and also provide a real benefit to corporations. Integrating board volunteerism into the workplace is a powerful way to keep employees engaged and fulfilled and help them enhance their leadership skills, while also promoting corporate social responsibility. The community benefits tremendously by having strong leadership at local non-profits that are addressing needs in the community. BoardLink was launched in April 2015 in recognition of National Volunteer Week. 

The Volunteer Center has a growing cadre of more than 40 non-profits in the northern NJ/New York metro area who are interested and ready to take on new board members through BoardLink.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation is one company that is working with the Volunteer Center to make BoardLink available to Novartis senior leaders. Their involvement reflects the company’s commitment to engaging their employees in philanthropic initiatives that will further their mission of caring and curing and improve the social environment in which Novartis operates. 

The Volunteer Center will work with Novartis employees to assess their interests and skills, and identify a local non-profit that is a good fit. The Volunteer Center will also provide training to Novartis employees on the roles and responsibilities of a board member, as well as the expectations of serving on a non-profit board. 

“By sharing their vision, strategic thinking and experience with a non-profit organization in the community, Novartis leaders can also enhance their abilities and grow professionally”, states Wanda Sims of Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation. We look forward to working with the Volunteer Center to engage our leaders in advancing the work of local non-profit organizations.”

For more information about BoardLink, please visit contact Erica West at ewest@bergenvolunteers.org, 201-489-9454, ext. 133.