We recently celebrated “Volunteer Appreciation Week”, an annual week in April when volunteer program managers and nonprofit organizations pause and recognize the amazing volunteer work that supports our mission. And APAH has a lot to appreciate – our volunteers serve more than 3,000 hours each year!

Without these fabulous volunteers, APAH would not be able to serve our residents in quite the same way. Here’s just some of the things they do and the impact they make:

• APAH’s Board and Committees guide APAH’s strategic planning and mission delivery.
• Enhance literacy and academic success for students K-12 through story hours, homework club, and tutoring services.
• Support weekly AFAC grocery distribution and delivery.
• Share language skills to assist with communication of important information.
• Support special events throughout the year, which includes sharing information and resources, providing access to in-kind donations, and creating social connection opportunities for residents.
• Raise their voice in the community in support of affordable housing and resident services.
• Encourage others to volunteer with us.
• Support daily administrative work that helps keep programs and services running smoothly.
• Expand fundraising efforts.
• Support services provided by our community partners.

Despite the challenges we are all experiencing during the current pandemic, there continues to be an outpouring of generosity and concern for APAH residents and a desire to continue to support APAH and its mission.

Volunteers who are comfortable serving in person are vital for our senior and other homebound residents – making doorstep deliveries of food to help keep pantries from running bare. And our onsite AFAC grocery distributions couldn’t happen without them. Some individuals even have assisted with our shop-and-deliver requests, picking up and delivering essential items for families in need.

For those unable to serve in person, volunteers continue to find ways to help while social distancing and staying home. Volunteers have made masks, collected essential hygiene items to have available for residents, and by made donations to APAH’s Resident Emergency Fund. APAH’s wonderful volunteers have also been crafting heartfelt “thank you” messages for the resident services team and messages to residents letting them know “we miss you.”

APAH Volunteer Diana Gordon says of her continued service, “It’s too easy to feel helpless and overwhelmed by pandemic. Volunteering with APAH gives me a way to do something. I miss seeing folks, everything helps a little.”

APAH is grateful to be a part of this caring community. THANK YOU!

If you would like to learn about volunteer opportunities with APAH, please email Julie Booth at jbooth@apah.org.