BlogVolunteerism How to Celebrate National Volunteer Month Volunteerism How to Celebrate National Volunteer Month Author: Tatiana Morand December 12, 2024 Contents 🕑 4 min read “Volunteers are the heart of our organization!” “Volunteers are the backbone of what we do!” “We couldn’t do it without you, volunteers!” Sometimes it seems like everything being said about the role of volunteers at nonprofits is cliché, but…it’s also true. Without volunteers donating their time and passion to the causes they care about, most nonprofits would be sunk. Paid staff to tutor every kid, clean up every park, and foster every shelter dog? Impossible! Volunteers make it happen. That’s why every April, we take the time to celebrate volunteers and volunteering with National Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week. When is National Volunteer Month? National Volunteer Month is held in April. It’s a month dedicated to promoting and celebrating volunteerism. Nonprofits often have special projects or volunteer appreciation events during this time. When is National Volunteer Week? In 2025, National Volunteer Week will be April 20-26 in Canada and the United States. Since When? National Volunteer Month and Week aren’t new. Canada led the way by celebrating National Volunteer Week in 1943 to recognize the contributions of women on the Home Front during World War II. Celebrations dropped off after the war, and then interest resurged in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The April week of recognition was made official in 1990. National Volunteer Week debuted in the United States in 1974 and has continued to grow every year since. In his proclamation declaring National Volunteer Week, President Richard Nixon urged all Americans to observe the week by seeking out a volunteer opportunity. He also called upon all communities to “recognize volunteers by observing the week with special ceremonies to honor those who have given countless hours for the betterment of our communities and the American way of life.” Since then, individuals, offices, schools, and teams volunteer their time on this week to make their communities better. How to Celebrate National Volunteer Week and Month National Volunteer Week and Month are great opportunities to get all your volunteers together and launch efforts to recruit new ones. Celebrating National Volunteer Week and Month has evolved over the past couple of years, making virtual recognition efforts more popular than ever. Volunteer events and appreciation are done across all platforms and channels. From social media challenges and thank-you emails to large scale awards ceremonies and community beautification projects – there’s a way for everyone to get involved. Even if your organization has a smaller budget or staff, you can still recognize and engage your volunteers. Keep things simple with a spotlight on your website or dedicated email to your subscribers about how wonderful your volunteers are. There are plenty of ways to show volunteers you appreciate them, consider: Ideas to Show Volunteer Appreciation Host large-scale special events like volunteer appreciation dinners, luncheons or award ceremonies Sharing a video message from your executive director, commending volunteers Provide official certificates, plaques or trophies recognizing their contributions Bring snacks, coffee or treats to volunteer events as a surprise “thank you” Gift “swag” or merchandise with your organizations logo (shirts, hats, portable chargers, tote bags, etc.) Milestone celebrations with pins, certificates or small gifts for “100 Hours Volunteered” or “5 Years of Service” Create a physical or digital “Wall of Fame” with photos and stories of volunteers’ impact Scheduling a one-on-one video or phone calls to thank them for their contributions and ask for their ideas Posting a volunteer slideshow on your social media, using pictures from previous events Provide special opportunities or perks like discounts, event tickets or professional development experiences like an educational seminar Volunteer social night where the focus is on fun like game nights, movie screenings or trivia nights Read More: How to Write a Volunteer Thank-You Letter That’s Actually Meaningful (+ Template) Recruitment Opportunities With everyone’s minds on volunteering in April, this can be a great time to recruit new volunteers from your local businesses and community. Browse through your volunteer management software and see if any volunteers have special skills or experience that jump out at you to help your recruitment efforts. Consider skills like: Designing templates, flyers, or social media graphics Making phone calls to check-in with the people you serve Organizing files or data in the cloud (how’s your photo library organized?) Drafting, editing and/or proofing documents Launching a peer-to-peer fundraising campaign for your organization Helping with research When recruiting, don’t forget the value of virtual volunteering! As you create your volunteer opportunities, consider online volunteering opportunities. This opens the door to many more potential volunteers, like people who don’t live nearby, disabled people and people with busy schedules. With remote work being as popular as it is, why not implement remote volunteering? Celebrate Volunteerism Now more than ever, people helping others is worth celebrating. Volunteers make so much possible and deserve our appreciation. How will you mark National Volunteer Month and Week at your organization? Read More: How to Create a Winning Volunteer Newsletter: Ideas, Examples and Templates to Inspire Related Volunteerism Articles Organizational Management 🕑 10 Min Read How To Create A Volunteer Engagement Strategy that Actually Works Organizational Management 🕑 14 Min Read How to Recruit Volunteers from Start to Finish: 4 Phases to a Successful Volunteer Program Membership 🕑 12 Min Read How to Create a Winning Volunteer Newsletter: Ideas, Examples and Templates to Inspire The Membership Growth Report: Benchmarks & Insights for Growing Revenue and Constituents Get the report now!