Spotlight on a Bridge Graduate:Yeletta Banks May 17, 2012

When did you take The Bridge?

In the Fall 2011

Who are you currently serving with? What about this organization drew you to them?

I am currently serving on the Steering Committee for Street Yoga, which is based in Portland, Oregon. I have been practicing yoga for over a decade and understand how it can change lives. Street Yoga shares yoga with kids in need. Participants may struggle with homelessness, trauma, abuse, behavioral issues, poverty or addiction.

 What was the process of becoming a member like?

The Executive Director contacted me after a missed connection at a Speed Dating event sponsored by Seattle Works. She and I met at a local teahouse to discuss the opportunity. I expressed my direct interest at that meeting. The Executive Director presented my information to the other committee members at their next meeting. Then I was invited to sit in on a meeting where I met other committee members. There were two other Seattle Works graduates visiting the same meeting, so it was a night of introductions. The committee was very welcoming. After meeting the other members, the committee voted in our absence. A week later, we were asked to join the committee. Overall, it took about 6 weeks because the committee meets only once a month.

What are you excited to work on as a board member?

Believe it or not, I am excited about fundraising and the operations of this branch of Street Yoga. Fundraising is a challenge and I like planning events that our donors will enjoy. Fundraising also builds relationships, which are important within a community. This branch is relatively new and small which makes our current operating decisions the basis for future decisions. We are figuring things out as we go and identifying what works. It gives us a great opportunity to grow and manifest the vision of the organization.

 What is one thing from The Bridge that you remember and are excited to apply in your upcoming service?

Connections. The Bridge exposed me to the many avenues of service within the nonprofit sector. Nonprofits want help and can help each other. Being new to the area, I had no idea how much help was needed.

Board Speed Dating! November 11, 2011

This week, a small group of interested Bridge graduates and nonprofit partners gathered to do some speed dating – board matching style.  Here’s how it works:  Once you’ve taken The Bridge, if you’re interested in having Seattle Works help you find an organization where you can serve (and that fits your interests and skills), we will!  We host events like Board Speed Dating where organizations that are looking for qualified new board members will come and spend an hour with you!

  

We had Northwest Girls Coalition, North Helpline, Many Lights, and Safe Futures there to chat about their organizations, current needs (and challenges), board commitments and what specific role the Bridge grads could play if they were interested in the organization.

We have another Board Speed Dating event coming up on Wed 1/11 for anyone who has taken The Bridge. If you’re interested in joining us, drop Page a line: page@seattleworks.org

And if you haven’t taken The Bridge yet, check it out: http://www.seattleworks.org/SW_TheBridge

Orchard Revamp! August 10, 2011

At Seattle Works we love eating delicious blackberries just as much as the next person, but the problems start when blackberry thickets overgrow and become difficult to work with. Many of our Hot Projects involve working outdoors with fruit, vegetabls and overgrown plants, and now we overhear good things are happening at the Dr José Rizal Park, near Beacon Hill.

Volunteers from Seattle Works, Microsoft, EarthCorps, the Filipino-America community and many other local schools and colleges came together to cut back the blackberry thickets so that there could be access to the community orcahrd that was set up in the park, by City Fruit, a local non-profit that works in different neighborhoods to help local tree owners grow healthy fruit, harvest their crop, use it and distribute excess to others. The growth of the orchard means that more apple trees, blackberries and even a walnut tree have begun to flourish.

Check out this link for more information on the project: Community Orchard at Dr. José Rizal Park

The Bridge at Boeing July 27, 2011

On Monday Seattle Works headed over to Boeing for a session of the corporate Bridge. 23 members of the LDE team (Boeing’s Leadership, Development, and Excellence team) came to learn more about board service. We covered board responsibilities, fundraising and how to make an ‘ask’, cross-cultural communication, strategies to cope with misunderstanding, and few in a few case studies along the way. The afternoon was complete with a panel featuring guests from 5 different local non-profits that Seattle Works partners with who are looking for new board members. It was a successful day, and great to see some potential connections already being made at the end of the day.

Thanks Boeing for letting us come and present – and thank you for this awesome certificate!

Rally with us to Restore Summer! June 7, 2011

Here at Seattle Works we absolutely refuse to believe that it isn’t summer.

  

When summer actually does get here (in August), we’re going to throw an ice cream party for all those cool folks that sign up to spend some time with us this summer!

Will you be one of these elite/extra-special/uber amazing types?

What qualifies you for the ice cream shindig in August? Any/all of the following:

*The Bridge – starts Tues 6/14

Our training class in nonprofit and government board service. Starts ONE WEEK from today, so jump on it before we run out of room. http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/bridge.html

*Team Works – kickoff Tues 6/14; first project Sat 6/18

Volunteer with a team of 15 people one Saturday a month, for the next four months.  You’ll get a chance to meet some cool people, and volunteer at four different projects. And we throw in a party at the beginning and end – pretty sweet deal (kinda like ice cream).  http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/TW/tw_intro.html

*HandsOn Leadership – starts Wed 6/29

Get trained in project management (and many other areas) and then work with a local nonprofit partner to help them create, develop and implement a project that they really need your help with.  This is your opportunity to help out at a different level. http://seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/handsonleadership.html

*Join a Committee!

We need help with our Swank Procurement Committee! Swank is our annual gala and an incredible event. Help us plan, execute and procure the items that makes this gala awesome. Email Rachel: rachel@seattleworks.org

Elections Committee! Do you care about the upcoming election? Want to help make sure your peers make an informed vote? Join our Elections committee and be an integral part of how we decide to make the elections exciting, relevant and engaging. Email Bevin: bevin@seattleworks.org

*Hot Projects - two or three projects offered every week ALL summer long

One-time volunteer opportunities at Seattle Marathon Association, Hamlin-Robinson School, MEOW Cat Rescue, Food Bank at St. Mary’s, Communities in Schools, etc. http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/TW/tw_intro.html

*Project Coordinator

Take the Hot Projects one step further: lead a project! We’ll train and support you, and you’ll work as the liaison between the nonprofit that’s hosting the Hot Project and the volunteers that have signed up. Email Kym: volunteer@seattleworks.org

  

C’mon – who’s with us?

Sign up for Team Works and see for yourself what everyone is talking about! March 26, 2011

A new round of Team Works is kicking off a week from today! 

Now is your chance to sign up for a team like Happy Hour Helpers, Helping Hands or Lovin’ Servin’ Seattle and get in on the action. Here are some of the things that our project hosts have said about Team Works teams:

• “This is Kat from Missing Pet Partnership. The work party you sent to help us last weekend was completely awesome! We accomplished so much work that it nearly made me cry!”
• “Please let your volunteers know how much we appreciate their enthusiasm and hard work.   I was amazed at how much got done.  It was great to be able to take the harvest over to the food bank.  Fresh local greens are rare in winter!  I appreciated how flexible everyone was about changing tasks and doing the seeds.  That was also a big help.  For me it is such a pleasure to see a group of young people getting together and having fun while doing something meaningful. ” – Aviva from Community Harvest of SW Seattle
• “Thanks Seattle Works volunteers for helping out on Feb 22nd!  Your contribution to Justice Works! is invaluable.  I appreciate your helping hands and your smiling faces.  Your work at the Thrift Store helps to keep our organization up and running.  Thanks again!”
• “The Team Works team was great!  Our program staff was wowed by the group’s enthusiasm and hard work, and we are ever so grateful to have a bright, happy, clean space now to prepare wholesome and nutritious meals for our kids.  I guess the theme of the group was people who are new to the area, so it was a great opportunity for us to welcome them to Seattle and introduce them to the many programs and activities we offer.  Actually, we always really love working with your teams, so thanks for sending them our way!” – Phinney Neighborhood Association

Pretty amazing. Join a team and they could be bragging about you!  http://www.seattleworks.org/AboutUs/index.php/TW/tw_intro.html 

Volunteers make the tournament a slammin’ success! February 2, 2011

“…I could go on and on about how fantastic Seattle Works volunteers are – self-motivated, hardworking, conscientious, eager, etc., etc. I have volunteered and managed volunteers for more years than I care to count, and the caliber of volunteer we have had the good fortune to have referred from Seattle Works is unparalleled in my experience.

It is pure joy for me to work with your volunteers.

© Tony Blazejack/Vecta Photo
Thank you very much for facilitating the two shifts of volunteers to support the quad rugby tournament yesterday. Dagmar and Rebecca were amazing coordinators for their teams and I thoroughly enjoyed working with them. Each and every volunteer for both shifts – without exception – did an excellent job. Some chose to take on tasks which challenged them, were avid and focused learners, and enthusiastically and accurately completed their jobs – particularly noteworthy in this arena were the table officials: especially the 40-second clock operators David and Derek (morning) and Eric (afternoon) – this is the most difficult job in the tournament, and the timekeepers: Dagmar and Austin (morning) and Kimberly (afternoon) who stopped and started the clock with precision and kept the scoreboard updated.

Courtney and Megan (morning) and Emma and Casey (afternoon) bravely agreed to keep the official score sheet for the games and all the score sheets were 100% perfect!

Renee, Erin (morning) and Derry kept track of penalties incurred by the players – and Derry really had her hands full in the last game with several players committing fouls!

The referees were very impressed with how well the table officials performed – and the players really appreciated their commitment, focus and accuracy! I didn’t hear one complaint – not even a grumble – from a single player about the table! I heard several players coming up to the table after each game to thank the volunteers – I hope they were able to hear those thank yous as they finished their tasks.

John, Stacey (morning), Josh and Nick (afternoon) were excellent videographers, taping the games so the players and coaches can analyze them – over and over! – later. This was most helpful for the Slam – our coach, Brad Mikkelson, lives in Colorado and really needs to see the tape from this tournament so he’ll know how to fine-tune practices before Sectionals.

Note: Nick also helped out at the officials’ table, and offered to stay after his shift to help clean-up. We had another group coming in just to do clean up, but his willingness to pitch in beyond his shift was much appreciated.

The floating volunteers – who took turns helping athletes get snacks, beverages and lunch; keeping the food table stocked and looking nice; and staffing the display/merchandise table – were cheerful, helpful, inventive, and fabulous! Quyen, Kim and Beth (morning) and Rebecca, Nicole and David (afternoon) really supported the athletes, support staff, and fans.

The tournament was a huge success because of the Seattle Works volunteers and the commitment they brought to their participation yesterday.

© Tony Blazejack/Vecta Photo

Thank you on behalf of the Seattle Slam, Portland Pounders, Team BC, and all of the support staff and fans!”

-Wimsey, Team Manager and Tournament Director

“Seattle has a deficit of sunshine, so I want to energize the city in my own small way” November 30, 2010

We asked a group of our Project Coordinators to tell us why they are motivated to step up and be a leader for Seattle Works. Here is a smattering of their responses:

- Helping a community makes you feel more a part of it.

- To make a positive change that I can see the results of.

- I am very social oriented. I love hanging out with people going to events and gatherings … what if I could also make it meaningful and help others and feel great about it? Done: Seattle Works creates that perfect setting.

 
- Catholic guilt (kidding!). It’s fun, purposeful and helps you connect with people and organizations that build and support the city. It helps you think about your purpose in our community as well.

- I love making a difference in my community, learning about local orgs and meeting other people interested in the same things!

A smile – brought to you by our volunteers October 7, 2010

After a team of our volunteers go out to a project, be it a Hot Project or a Team Works project, we ask them to tell us how it went.  We want to make sure that everyone has a positive volunteer experience and if there are ways to improve the projects we want to know about it!  Here is a response from one of our fantastic volunteers:

North Helpline was AWESOME. I think the whole team really enjoyed the experience, and I know our help was appreciated by Alecia and the rest of the volunteer team there.

We had 100% attendance, along with one of our old teammates joining us for the event.

Alecia did an excellent job getting us in the right places and explaining the importance of their services. I also think the sheer number of people coming through to get food made quite an impression on all of us, and made us realize how fortunate we all are, and how fragile our circumstances can be, especially in “these times.”

Again, another really valuable Seattle Works experience.

Thanks,

Mike

 ”That’s What She Said” Team Captain

Making a Clean Difference! June 7, 2010

Thanks to our Team Works participants, the Seattle School District and our friends at Bounty we were able to help out three elementary schools over the weekend: Bailey Gatzert, Thurgood Marshall and Brighton. 

 

We painted a mural at each school:

             

Cleaned up all the playground equipment.  Graffiti be gone!

        

And even squeezed in some landscaping, yard work and fence painting too. 

                     

Great work everyone!  A special shout out to mother nature for coming through with the sunshine on Saturday.