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It’s simple: The Salvation Army couldn’t meet the millions of human needs it does each year without the support of volunteers. Not only do volunteers critically support The Salvation Army’s programs and services, many become financial supporters and advocates.
According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, volunteers are almost twice as likely to donate to a charity than those who don’t.
Stacy Dertien knows this firsthand. For more than 13 years, she’s supported The Salvation Army’s mission by serving as a go-to resource for all things volunteer engagement for the USA Western Territory. She’s held various roles, including, most recently, the Territorial Director of Emergency/Disaster Services (EDS) Volunteers and Training. Now, she’s set to begin a new role as the Territorial Director of Volunteer Engagement.
“With Stacy’s leadership, the divisions will be better equipped to provide meaningful opportunities to volunteers and cultivate them as donors and advocates,” said Community Relations and Development Director Maria Todaro.
Dertien holds a master’s degree in Nonprofit Organizational Management from Springfield College and is a Certified Volunteer Administrator. Previously, only part of her role was dedicated to evergreen volunteer engagement—it quickly became apparent there was a need for a full-time position.
Dertien spoke with Caring about trends in volunteerism and how she hopes to deepen volunteer engagement across the West.
Q: What are trends in volunteerism that you think The Salvation Army could benefit from?
A: Skills-based volunteerism is gaining momentum as a key trend in volunteerism. By offering skills-based opportunities, we can unlock growth, innovation and efficiency. These opportunities can range from direct tasks like writing a newsletter or teaching a class to more complex projects like data analysis or “hackathons,” where technology professionals convene to develop a specific tech-driven solution for the organization.
Q: Why volunteering? How has this become your path?
A: I was originally introduced to the field of volunteerism through mentoring. I served as the director of youth mentoring programs for Big Brothers Big Sisters and the YMCA. Later, I became involved in program design and policy creation and began designing corporate mentoring programs as well. The great thing about the field of volunteerism is that when volunteers are leveraged effectively, a win-win-win situation is created for everyone involved. There are positive outcomes for the organization, the volunteers and the beneficiaries they serve.
Q: What are you most proud of or encouraged by related to volunteerism and The Salvation Army?
A: It’s exciting that The Salvation Army is at a point where we are motivated and well-positioned to focus on continuous improvement, enhancing our processes to boost efficiency, and ensuring our volunteer opportunities remain accessible and relevant in the face of a constantly evolving volunteer landscape.
Q: Why is volunteering critical to furthering The Salvation Army’s mission?
A: The Salvation Army serves every zip code in the United States, each with its own set of strengths, challenges and opportunities. To effectively serve each unique community, we need to involve each community in our work.
Q: How do you hope to deepen volunteer engagement in the West through this new role?
A: I would love for The Salvation Army to be seen as a vessel to help people affect the change they want to make in their community. If someone is passionate about an important cause, we want to be there to support and equip them to make a real difference.
Do Good:
- See how The Salvation Army fights disasters.
- You can make an impact for good with whatever time and skills you have. Whatever your interest, there is a you-sized need for goodness in the world. Get the guide on How To Be An Impactful Volunteer and join us in Doing Good today.
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