Our volunteers and their dedication to our clients make ANGELS successful.  We have approximately 70 volunteers with a wide range of experience. Some were part of the formation of the organization 19 years ago and provide stability and experience. Others recently signed on and provide new perspectives and ideas.  We recruit new volunteers through our outreach program described in the Marketing and Outreach section above and by personal contact with friends and neighbors. When individuals express interest, they meet with the Director for more detailed information and to determine how they would like to be involved. The majority are drivers or provide other services, but a few prefer to help in the office or at events.  A new applicant completes a volunteer registration form and a background check will be run on that individual before they are paired with clients.

If the check indicates that the person meets the standards required for client interface, they will complete one-on-one training with staff to ensure all requirements are understood and accepted.  The individual is then added to the list of volunteers, with notations about preferences.

We maintain our volunteers by holding group training and appreciation sessions to cover topics of interest, address general issues, seek ideas for new projects and show appreciation for the work they do.  When arranging volunteers to provide services for a client, our staff are very considerate of everyone’s schedule and availability.  They verify that the volunteer has the appropriate skills and equipment (such as a car that can hold a wheelchair when needed).  They do not pressure anyone to take on more than they are capable and willing to do.