Publishing a newsletter for RSVP volunteers

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Abstract

Newsletters can be used to recognize, motivate, and retain volunteers. The RSVP of the Carolina Lowcountry American Red Cross, North Charleston, South Carolina, produces a bi-monthly newsletter to keep in touch with RSVP volunteers and station representatives and to reinforce member identity. The newsletter is distributed on paper and on the web.

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Issue

The mission of RSVP includes recruiting and placing senior volunteers in non-profit and government agencies. Volunteers will naturally take on the identity of the organization where they commit their time. Unless RSVP identity is reinforced more frequently than by annual recognition programs, RSVP volunteers tend not to give RSVP the public relations recognition it deserves.

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Action

The RSVP program associated with the Carolina Lowcountry American Red Cross publishes a bi-monthly newsletter to keep in touch with RSVP volunteers and station representatives. They find this to be a valuable tool to recognize, motivate, and retain volunteers and remind them that they are part of a larger organization. The newsletter, which is both print and electronic, has several aspects.
  • It is published bi-monthly because a monthly schedule would be too costly and time-consuming, and a quarterly schedule seemed too long between issues (and would miss some special projects and special events or information that needed to be passed on).
  • The newsletter is printed and distributed to RSVP volunteers and station representatives.
  • A total of 1,500 copies are printed. Postage and printing costs are covered by non-federal funds. About 1,000 are mailed to the home addresses of individual volunteers and station representatives; about 200-300 are hand delivered, and the rest are used for recruitment, public relations and marketing.
  • The newsletter is also published online as part of the website of the Carolina Lowcountry American Red Cross in an area devoted to RSVP. This also helps serve another purpose -- it keeps the RSVP area of the website up-to-date.
  • Newsletter items and sections include: welcoming each new volunteer and each new station representative, notices of volunteer opportunities, encouragement to recruit new RSVP members (from neighbors, family, and friends), news about the sponsor, introduction of new staff, facts and figures about the local and national RSVP, and fun items such as fun quotes, jokes, and recipes.

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Context

This RSVP project is sponsored by the Carolina Lowcountry American Red Cross and serves four counties: Charleston, Dorchester, Berkeley, and Colleton, making it the largest RSVP in South Carolina. They have 1,500 volunteers working with 132 different agencies.

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Outcome

  • Volunteers have provided tremendous positive feedback saying they look forward to receiving the newsletter.
  • The RSVP program has filled requests for volunteer help from responses to the "help needed" section.
  • People visiting the area from other states have asked if they could pay for a subscription to the newsletter. These people are encouraged to read the newsletter online.

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Posted On

November 8, 2001

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For More Information

Pam Dillon
Carolina Lowcountry American Red Cross
RSVP Director
8085 Rivers Avenue, Suite F
North Charleston, SC 29406
Phone: (843) 764-2323
Fax: (843) 566-0110

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