Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving from your friends at the Volunteer Center.

If you’re looking for a holiday project this year,

check out our All Wrapped Up, Holiday Giving Program.

Give the Gift of “Good” for the Holidays

Holiday shopping does not have to be stressful or extravagant! The Volunteer Center of Bergen County has a great idea to simplify shopping and answer the question “what do you give a person who has everything?”

Through our "All Wrapped Up" Holiday Giving Program, you can make a donation in another’s name, and your will be used to directly help Bergen and Passaic County residents in need -- low income children and families, troubled youth, lonely seniors and disabled adults -- who have been identified and verified by local nonprofit agencies. Without the help of generous donors, these individuals and families might be passed over this holiday season. Your donation will be used to purchase gifts and gift cards for those in need.

Plus, giving a donation in another’s name is a great way to honor a deserving individual, such as an outstanding parent, teacher, boss, family member or friend.

Donations can be made on-line. Each donation will be acknowledged with an elegant, customized card sent to the person being honored, along with a description of how the donation will be put to good use. Gift donations purchased on-line by Noon on Monday, December 21st will be delivered by December 24th.

So -- Do Good. Feel Good. Give Good!

Visit www.bergenvolunteers.org, or call 201-489-9454 Ext. 125 for more information.

Help for the Holidays

We've received a flood of calls recently of people eager to help the less fortunate this holiday season, and we've had the hard task of telling them that opportunities to volunteer on Thanksgiving are somewhat scarce. That’s not to say there are none. Many faith-based organizations have holiday activities that engage their congregations, and many other organizations run activities and post information in community newspapers and websites. One such organization is Jersey Cares - you can check them out at http://www.jerseycares.org/.

The Volunteer Center reaches out to area organizations to find out if they need additional assistance on such holidays as Thanksgiving. This year we had "zero" requests for additional volunteers. Many organizations have recruited their own pools of volunteers and do not at this time need additional assistance.

However, you can still help! There are 364 other days of the year, and we'll be glad to help you find a volunteer position or project that is just right for you. Visit our website or give us a call at 201-489-9454.

TD Bank Helps Keep Seniors Safe

The Chore Service, which is sponsored by the Volunteer Center of Bergen County, has a new van on the road, thanks to a $25,000 donation from TD Bank.

The Chore Service provides crews of dedicated volunteers who perform minor household repairs that keep seniors and people with disabilities safe in their own homes, thereby avoiding costly and often unwanted institutionalization. Chore has had two vans on the road for several years; the third van, purchased and outfitted with tools courtesy of TD Bank, allows the program to serve more seniors.

Thanks, TD Bank!

For more information on Chore check out our website.

Weather can't stop the BVC

The weather was dreadful the night that the Business Volunteer Council (BVC) of Northern New Jersey held its annual Night at the Races at the Meadowlands Racetrack. The bright spot was the last minute decision to move the party indoors, and the result was 200+ happy party-goers.

Guests enjoyed plenty of good food and drink as they picked their ponies and perused a silent auction, which featured such great prizes as local restaurant gift cards, Devil’s hockey tickets, and an “Adult Sleepover” package which included a bottle of wine and hotel room at the Woodcliff Lake Hilton.

When the night ended, the event chalked up more than $15,000 to support the BVC’s initiative that help low income children and families. Guests were asked to bring disposable diapers and wipes, which were donated to the Baby Basic Program at Children’s Aid and Family Services in Paramus. More than $1,100 worth of baby supplies were donated!

The night was a lot of fun and a great success.

Shopping for a Cause

While shopping online this holiday season, you can help the Volunteer Center with every purchase. Through igive.com, a percentage of every purchase you make will go to the Volunteer Center, or another charity of your choice. There are over 600 stores to shop from, including favorites like Target, Barnes & Noble, Gap and much more. Just go to igive.com and enter "Volunteer Center of Bergen County" in the cause keyword search. It only takes a minute to register and $5 will be donated to the Volunteer Center right off the bat if you sign up and shop within 45 days. Please follow the directions on the iGive website to learn more about how you can help.

Facing Prolonged Economic Challenges: A Roundtable for Nonprofit CEOs

The Volunteer Center will host an Executive Directors’ Roundtable on Thursday, November 12, from 9-11:00 am. Executive Directors, CEOs and trustees of non-profit organizations are invited to discuss strategies that maintain organizational integrity in the face of prolonged challenges to fiscal stability, planning for an uncertain future, and other topics of current concern. Ken Berger, CEO of Charity Navigator, will add his perspective as a leader of a national nonprofit organization which has its operational offices in Bergen County. The Roundtable will be held at the Volunteer Center office, 64 Passaic Street, Hackensack.

There is no fee to attend the Executive Directors’ Roundtable, but pre-registration is required. The deadline for registration is November 6th. For more information or to register, e-mail training@bergenvolunteers.org, or call (201) 489-9454, ext.114.