7 Ways to Celebrate Your Volunteers + Gift Ideas for Every Budget
If you lead a volunteer-oriented organization, you know volunteers make all the difference. In this blog post, I’ll share 7 ideas to celebrate your volunteers.
Brunch on Us
Brunch options are endless. If you have a small volunteer team and a tight budget, consider bringing in some homemade muffins. If you have a larger volunteer team, this is a great opportunity to partner with a local business. Ask around, share about the impact of your volunteers, and see if anyone is interested in making a donation or offering a discount to your organization.
Coffee Bar
This is another great option for any budget. You can easily create a DIY coffee bar by picking up some syrups and toppings from the grocery store. If you have a larger budget, consider hiring a local coffee shop to come out and serve lattes to your volunteers. I once booked a local coffee cart vendor for a volunteer event, and it was a huge hit! We paid for the cart upfront, so every latte was free for our volunteers.
Award Show Event
If you’re a fan of the hit TV show, The Office, picture The Dundies. This is your chance to have fun and create both silly and sincere awards for your volunteers. Host an Award Night with Hors d’Oeuvres. Some award ideas include: Most Likely to Volunteer Without Signing Up Beforehand, Most Likely to Forget to (fill in the blank), The Cheerful Heart Award, and The Best Smile.
Live Music
Consider inviting a local musician to provide live entertainment. One time, I was able to have a live musician come out for a volunteer celebration, and it was such a fun way to celebrate our team. We also had a coffee cart and snackies available as people enjoyed the music.
Tickets to a Local Event
I know of an organization that gives their volunteers tickets to a local baseball game every year. It is such a fun way for a large group of people to get together, plus it’s family friendly! Maybe you have a local sports team or an annual event that you can invite your volunteers to.
Social Media Posts
Highlight your volunteers on social media. You can interview individual volunteers and share it in reel form. Or you can highlight volunteers with a static post. Consider sharing a fun fact about the individual and how they contribute to your organization. ALWAYS ask for permission before posting.
Hand-Written Notes
If you have the capacity to do so, hand-written notes can be very impactful. This is a great option for nonprofit organizations with a smaller volunteer base. These are both thoughtful and inexpensive.
