Choices Community: Serving Within (Part 2)

Here’s the second post to give you a glimpse into what it means to serve within Choices community – nothing earth shattering, no moving stories, just the basics. Perhaps it’s helpful to get a sense of the underlying realities of an organization. Finding a way to truly grasp the realities of life within a (very) small, rural, yet needful non-profit organization is key to embracing the beauty that exists within the mission.  This info is part of our prospective volunteer info packet – with some slight additional perspective tossed in. (Some of these are borrowed/adapted from *somewhere*, but I cannot recall where!)

So often we hear of ‘good practices’ of businesses and organizations, but the reality is that many of those practices don’t apply in very small organizations – we get quite adept at adapting!

Small Non-Profit Insights . . .

• … daily organizational changes. (Okay, mostly we mean weekly, but it’s more helpful and less frustrating to think in terms of daily!)

• … efforts often follow the flying-by-the-seat-of-your-pants action plan. Metaphor: No one feels like they’re flying the plane; rather, they feel more like they’re building it mid-air.  (Both exhilarating and challenging!)

• … there’s always a need for more help, but human & funding resources are often slim, e.g., three or four key participants are doing the work of seven. (Yes, I find myself scrubbing toilets, buying light-bulbs and paper towels, writing blog posts, meeting with people in need of hope, and preparing board meeting agendas!)

• … human needs always trump other needs, i.e., when someone comes to the door, if I’m preparing for a speaking gig, or looking at the budget, and no one else is available, my choice will always be to meet with someone in need of care. Same is true for everyone.

• … teamwork is essential; grace & mercy are tightly woven into our imperfect community. Let’s face it, we all blow it, we’re imperfect human beings and so is Choices. We do what we can to the best of our ability at the time.

• … questions are always welcome, answers may be helpful, though sometimes not available. (Hence the need of ongoing mercy and grace!)

Want to know our biggest frustration? Having to be closed because we have no one available to receive guests/friends. It’s a terrible ‘business’ practice, (people must be able to depend upon us), but we also recognize that people in our serving community become ill, have appointments, go on vacation, etc.  So grace is always extended. But, we’re aware that you may come by to drop a check or other donation, have a question, and discover the closed sign. Our apologies…and an invitation to join us to keep those days rare occurrences.

Leaving you today with a bumper sticker I spied in Newport, Oregon this week: “Get involved: the world is run by those who show up.”  So many of us have thoughts about the way things should be – here’s an opportunity to rock your world.

Thanks for hanging out with us. Let us know if you have any thoughts to contribute or questions that need answers.

Choices Community: Serving Within

[The following is the first excerpt from our 'Choices Community: Serving Within 2010' info packet - we'll be posting excerpts over the next few weeks, so remember to check back. Frankly, we're in need of others willing to hang out with us one afternoon a week. If we gather enough interest, we'd love to resume morning hours as well. How about a cup of coffee?]

Greetings! We would be delighted if you would consider serving with Choices. Serving in our community mission can be a beautiful and meaningful way to demonstrate care and concern for those in need of compassion, kindness and shelter from sexuality, pregnancy and/or parenting related difficulties.]

Our hope is that each person discovers that serving is mutually beneficial. As we encounter human need in our community, we have the opportunity to sit with, listen to, and respond lovingly to those experiencing challenges, and are seeking someone to trust and journey with them. Being present to people assists in the most basic needs we all have: to love and be loved. Words from a poem by Carlo Carretto remind us:

You say you are sad?
Love — and joy will come.
You say you are alone?
Love — and you will break out of your solitude.

At Choices, we place a high value on relationships, as that is where personal transformation toward healthy life decisions, consideration of matters of faith, and good outcomes for the fabric of our community are best made possible.

Our volunteer process is primarily designed to determine whether each of us feels this is a good fit. We’ll have a friendly conversation that will help you to understand our “personality”, and you are invited to ask questions, and express your thoughts.

Our desire is that each person who interacts with Choices experience an (emotionally) safe time with us that preserves their respect and dignity, thus we are continually refining our environment and approach to enable good experiences for our volunteer staff and clients/friends.

One more thought – we’ve heard that there are those who think if they’ve experienced abortion or other life challenges this disqualifies them from serving with us – we’re here to say that we will embrace you, just as we embrace anyone who comes seeking help, hope and healing. Many of us have been there.

A last minute ‘find’ from a friend’s Facebook update speaks directly to my heart for this mission God has given us at Choices:

‎“We always have the energy we need when love calls. When life asks you to serve in a way that will bring healing, the little ego must step aside. The windfall of Spirit will enable you to do whatever is necessary to serve God’s plan. We always have infinite energy and resources to magnify the voice of love.
Breathe through me today. …Give me the energy to do what will truly serve. ” ~Alan Cohen

Delighted you stopped by to visit. Bless you.