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Steps
to follow for becoming a volunteer:
Step One:
Explore the possibilities – contact us
When you contact us, you’ll get yourself on the right path to becoming a
volunteer for A Wish Come True. Once you have decided that the
Organization’s volunteer program is a match for you and sounds fun,
please contact the Director of Program Services, or the Development
Director at (401) 781-9199. You can also email john@awishcometrue.org.
You will be mailed a volunteer application, to fill out and return.
Step Two:
Complete your application
Complete
our volunteer application and we will begin processing your application
right away. Applications should be returned to our Wish House (1010
Warwick Avenue, Warwick, RI 02888).
Step Three:
We run a background check
After
we’ve received your application, we will run a background check and
follow up with the references you provide us. Please make sure your
information is complete. This helps us move your application along
quickly.
Step Four:
Join our team
You will be invited to attend the next volunteer orientation and training
session. This training is designed to provide you with a firm
foundation for your volunteer role with A Wish Come True. New volunteer
orientation and training sessions are held every other month with specific
volunteer position training sessions held as needed.
Frequently
asked questions by our volunteers:
How
long is the application process?
The whole process typically takes about one month, depending on the timing
of our training sessions. Once you are on board as a volunteer,
though, we usually put you to work right away!
What
kind of commitment is there?
Commitment levels vary in terms of time, depending on your volunteer
position.
Wish
Granters
When
assigned to a child’s wish by our Director of Program Services,
you will always work with another wish granter, and you both will
visit the family and find out what the child's' wish is, plus fill out all
the necessary paperwork with the family. Depending on what the wish
request is, the time of commitment is determined by the wish
selected. Some wishes, such as travel wishes, will require both wish
granters to visit with the family right before they are to leave, then see
the family off at the airport and re-visit with the family upon their
return from the wish. Other wishes such as shopping sprees would
require you and your wish granting partner to go with the child and family
on the spree if it is in RI or MA. These are just some examples of
what your commitment would be when assigned as a volunteer wish
granter. The same applies to other volunteer positions.
Office Volunteers must have
a flexible schedule to accommodate daytime assignments.
Fundraising Volunteers may choose to work only one special event
each year, or more, but may spend several hours a week on that
event.
What
volunteer opportunities are available?
We offer all kinds of volunteer experiences, from wish granting to public
speaking, event planning and execution, helping us out in the office,
working on our Favors 4 Wishes programs, newsletter, or our Kids
helping Kids Program.
Are
volunteers very involved with the children?
Of all of our volunteer positions, wish granting offers the highest level
of involvement with wish children and their families. Even so, Wish
Granters meet a family at the beginning and end of a wish, but may rely on
telephone contacts during the rest of the wish. Our emphasis is on
delivering a one-of-a-kind wish experience to each and every child who is
referred to us.
Do
you have volunteer positions that aren't emotionally demanding?
We know that the work we do has a high emotional content. Some
people would like to help because they relate to our mission, but would
prefer little or no involvement with families. In such cases, we
suggest the positions of Fundraising Volunteer or Office Volunteer.
All of our volunteer positions contribute equally to our mission, to help
children’s wishes come true.
Of all we've done and all we want to do,
nothing would be possible
without you.
One of our wish
granting volunteers, Sheri Quaglia Bishop, tells us how she feels about
wish granting:
"You
know I have had many people ask me how I can do what I do, being a wish
granter. Many people see it as us visiting sick children who may not
make it...I tell them this:
"These
kids are being examined, poked, prodded, medicated & studied almost
every day of their lives...(we) come into their lives and offer them a
wish--almost ANYTHING they could want...we are the light that sweeps in
and puts a great big smile on their faces by giving them anything they
could dream of!"
These
photos show EXACTLY why I LOVE being a wish granter with AWCT!"
Thank
You!
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