Every April, volunteers all over the country are celebrated for their contributions to nonprofits. Millions of people donate their time to help make the world or their community, better. Whether it’s once a year or every day, that time is critical to fixing many of the challenges we face as a society.
For the Brown County Humane Society, this is certainly true. Our volunteers contribute as much as 13,000 hours a year, and without them, the humane society simply couldn’t exist. It certainly couldn’t be the successful organization it has become.
Volunteers provide manual labor, professional expertise and compassionate care. They serve on our board of directors, at the shelter, on our committees and at our special events. They raise money, write articles, transport pets, walk dogs, take photographs, distribute flyers, manage our finances, maintain our building, stuff envelopes, foster kittens and find homes for shelter animals.
Our board of directors, which oversees the direction and management of the organization, is made up entirely of volunteers. Our SPOT team that goes out into the community to deliver pet food and manages the spay/neuter days is all volunteer. Twenty different volunteers are involved in our Petco adoption program for cats, which is also managed by a volunteer. In all, more than 100 people currently volunteer regularly with the humane society. Many more help just with special events.
Other than a shared desire to help homeless animals, there is no one thing that drives people to volunteer for the humane society. Some love to work with others, enjoying the social aspect of volunteering. Others prefer to work alone, walking dogs in solitude or making a contribution of time from their home. There are those who want to contribute their special skills and others who want to learn something new. Some work 40 hours a week, and some are available just a few hours every few months. Yes, there are even dog people and cat people.
Whatever the role or the amount of time spent doing it, the volunteers of the Brown County Humane Society are making real changes to real lives, not only in their own communities, but also around the country through the knowledge they share and the animals they help to find new homes.
There are many ways in which to volunteer for the humane society. Learn more on the website at bchumane.org/volunteer.
Consider how you might donate your time to make a difference in the community. Contact us, or one of the many other deserving nonprofits that need your help.
— Brown County Humane Society
