A Note from Sarah
Ten years ago, I started a blog called Confessions of a Volunteer. In that first post, I wrote:
“After months of thinking about it, I’ve finally taken the leap and started this blog about my journey as a volunteer. My hope is that you will find motivation on your own path toward volunteering in a way that’s meaningful for you.”
A decade later, that’s what 23,000 of you have done.
What began as a solo mission has become a group quest. My personal journey has grown into Volunteer Odyssey as you know it now with thousands of volunteers, dozens of partners, plus a stellar staff and board.
As with all adventures, there is a time to travel, and then there is time to seek inspiration, plan for the future, and dream big.
I am humbled and excited to share that I have the opportunity to take a sabbatical this Fall so I can rest, recharge, and return with fresh ideas in 2023. Equally important, this window of time is designed to strengthen the organization as a whole, providing time and space for our team to shape the future.
Our rockstar staff is ready and excited for the challenge. Our two most experienced team members, Alexandra Howard Schrack and Dannon Eubanks will be leading the charge. Our Board has been involved in the planning for more than three years and is fully engaged. I have complete confidence in our team to guide Volunteer Odyssey as we gear up to celebrate the last 10 years and build the foundation for the next decade of volunteer engagement.
After years of thinking about it, I’ve finally taken the leap and embraced the opportunity to take a sabbatical. We’re sharing this story with you in the hopes that it sparks a conversation about talent retention and sustainability in the nonprofit space. We’re including some FAQs and resources below. If you have any questions about our experience or our process, we invite you to contact us via email.
May the road rise up to meet you!
Sarah
Notes from the Team
“Our team is excited for Sarah to have the opportunity to grow and learn outside of Volunteer Odyssey to rest and recharge. While we will miss her tremendously, this is an opportunity for us to build more leadership skills and strengthen the organization as a whole. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to see how our team will grow and change during this time as well. We can’t wait to see how this experience shapes the future of Volunteer Odyssey as we enter into our 10th year of supporting the Memphis community through volunteerism.”
Dannon Eubanks & Alexandra Schrack
Frequently Asked Questions
- Are you hiring a new director?
- We’re promoting internal team members. Alexandra Howard Schrack, Director of Operations, and Dannon Eubanks, Director of Community Engagement, will be guiding our organization in the interim.
- Will it just be Dannon and Alexandra?
- It takes a village! We just added a new team member – Grace Woodruff as our Corporate & Community Engagement Manager. We also have an incredible board and a group of internal volunteers.
- Will your team be going on hiatus?
- We’re operating business as usual. We will continue growing volunteerism throughout the Memphis area
- During the sabbatical, who should I contact at Volunteer Odyssey?
- For fundraising and strategic partnerships, contact Alexandra Schrack alexandra@volunteerodyssey.com
- For nonprofit partnerships and marketing, contact Dannon Eubanks Dannon@volunteerodyssey.com
- For corporate volunteer projects and volunteer matching contact Grace Woodruff grace@volunteerodyssey.com
- Should I wait to reach out to Sarah about ___ until she’s back?
- Unless you want to take Sarah out to lunch, please feel free to contact our team about projects, partnerships, or funding! We are fully running while she travels and are excited to hear from you!
- Is this normal?
- Sabbaticals are becoming increasingly common in the for-profit and non-profit sectors as a tool to retain and replenish talent. A sabbatical on a small team requires a lot of planning and cooperation. We’ve been working towards this goal for more than three years.
- How can I or my organization get started on sabbatical planning?
- The Durfee Foundation in California is the thought leader in this space. For more information, check out Do-It-Yourself Sabbatical Guide for Nonprofits and the Funders’ Guide to Creating a Sabbatical.
- Will you share lessons learned?
- Absolutely. You’re welcome to ask questions along the way. We will also plan to share more in Spring of 2023.
