12 March, 2020 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Guidance for Memphis Volunteerism Efforts during COVID-19
Memphis, Tenn.

Volunteer Odyssey, Memphis’s volunteer center, is sharing suggested guidelines for nonprofits, volunteers, and schools as the city navigates the spreading COVID-19 virus.

Dr. Sarah Petschonek, Executive Director of Volunteer Odyssey, says, “Responding to the needs of the community is at the forefront of Volunteer Odyssey’s work.  We are available as a resource to address our community’s changing and ongoing need for volunteers.”

Out of an abundance of caution we suggest considering the following guidelines:

For nonprofits:

  • Follow all CDC and local health organization guidelines for social distancing and safety hygiene.
  • Reduce or postpone any noncritical volunteer experiences especially those that involve group volunteer experiences, shared materials, and close contact.
  • Encourage volunteers to cancel their shifts if they are sick or suspect they have been exposed.
  • List updated information about volunteer opportunities on your website, social media, and newsletters.
  • Consider volunteer opportunities that could be done remotely. This could include both current opportunities or new creative ways for people to volunteer or contribute.
  • For all of the nonprofits who post opportunities through Volunteer Odyssey, please make sure the current opportunities are accurate and up to date.

For volunteers:

  • Follow all CDC and local health organization guidelines.
  • Please do not volunteer if you are sick or have been exposed.
  • If you cannot make it to your volunteer opportunity, please let the volunteer coordinator know ASAP.
  • Ask for ways you can support nonprofits remotely.
  • Consider postponing or reducing group volunteer experiences.

For schools:

  • Consider canceling, reducing or postponing service hour requirements for students

Here are things that you can do at home:

  • Visit Volunteer Odyssey to sign up for virtual and remote volunteer opportunities.
  • Sign up for remote volunteer opportunities.
  • Register to become a MIFA MIphone Buddy, where they pair you with a Meals on Wheels client for weekly phone check-ins.
  • Follow nonprofits on social media and help them share messaging about their current needs.
  • Offer to do work-from-home volunteer opportunities that align with your skills such as assisting with social media, editing photos, or data analysis.

Contact your local food bank or food pantry to ask what food donations are the highest need.

Volunteer Odyssey is monitoring this situation closely as we navigate the best way to support nonprofits, volunteers, and our community as a whole. We will continue to provide updated recommendations and information through our social media channels. We will also post and share more information about how to volunteer safely in person and how to participate from a distance. We need volunteers now as much as ever.

Volunteer Odyssey, founded in 2013, has more than 60 partners in the Memphis area including the City of Germantown, University of Memphis, MIFA, Clean Memphis, and Catholic Charities.  They have facilitated volunteerism for more than 12,000 volunteers who have contributed more than 200,000 hours of service, worth an economic impact of more than $5,000,000 to our local community.