October feels like the calm before the storm…a storm of festive holiday cheer! October is a transition month, as we ease into the busy holiday season starting November.
But first, we thank you, our dedicated volunteers, for taking time out of your busy days and weekends to spend time with our community! We are giving a special shout-out this issue to our school groups: our elementary, middle and high schools, whether public, private or charter schools like DeMarillac, Gateway High, Brandies, Drew School, and Nueva. We also appreciate our volunteers from the university Greek life, corporate groups, tourists, and families from near and far. Sometimes we get families from as far away as the Netherlands! We can’t thank you enough.
Program Spotlight: Celebrating the Community Safety Team
In this issue, we are celebrating the GLIDE’s Community Safety Team, a group of essential people woven deeply into the fabric of GLIDE. They embody GLIDE’s core value of unconditional love and also play a crucial role in ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for everyone who steps through our doors.
Wearing unmissable bright yellow tees and hoodies, these team members are the friendly faces that guide our clients to the right program or resources, manage our Meals line, and help you, our volunteers, get to the right place.
This resilient team is not only tasked with ensuring everyone’s safety but also safeguarding the well-being of our clients all the while upholding their humanity, and dignity
The Community Safety Team puts their heart and soul into their work, which requires a level of physical, mental and emotional commitment that few can imagine. They are mediators, they revive overdosing clients, de-escalate situations, help seniors to the dining room, sit with our clients, listen to their stories, help those with disabilities get a meal and sometimes physically feed our clients. They share laughter, tears and heartfelt moments with those who need it the most, bridging the gap between struggle and support.
Thank you, Iris, Ricky, Gwen, Lando, Cecil, Anthony, Chris, Eric, Orlanza, Deneal, George and Charles. Your unwavering dedication and hard work are deeply appreciated, and your impact is felt by us all.
Looking at November and Beyond
Did you know that volunteering has health benefits? Studies show that volunteering reduces loneliness, provides social support and brings positive emotions.
So, why not bring a friend or five, make it a family event, or even organize a “volunteer blind date” for your friend(s) and spread some good emotions and vibes this holiday season and beyond!
We kicked off our holiday season with Holiday Jam!!!! a lively event filled with music, love and celebration. We jammed to the sounds of The Philharmonik, Lenny Williams, Vernon Bush, Michael Marshall, and the GLIDE Ensemble.
Thank you to all our volunteers who showed UP and showed OUT for our Holiday Jam. We couldn’t have done it without you!!!
Thanksgiving, shifts are LIVE!!! We know that it’s our most popular day to volunteer so keep refreshing the page to secure a spot!
Still looking for Thanksgiving Day shifts? Look no further because we still have some available!!
Hot Cider Server – 6.30am – Share the warmth by serving hot cider on Thanksgiving Day to our community as they await the breakfast meal
Thanksgiving Meal Prep shift – 8.30am – Help prep all the delicious fixings that will go with the Thanksgiving meal.
CLICK HERE to sign up for any of the above shifts
Looking Ahead: Why not make a New Years resolution by signing up to volunteer in January!
Thank you, and...
We want to hear from you! How has volunteering transformed you? If you have a story, poem, illustration, we will publish it in our newsletter. Email us with ‘Volunteer Story’ in the subject line volteam@glide.org
