Over 150 people were on site at The Chamber’s 3rd annual Community Connections event on March 11. They were there to learn and share about volunteer opportunities at local nonprofits. Community Connections stems from the Chamber’s commitment to developing community stewards in our area.
Partnered with Holland/Zeeland Young Professionals and the Lakeshore Nonprofit Alliance, the event calls to aspiring professionals looking to make a difference in a lasting way and provides them glimpses into organizations that can use their help. This open-house style event allows them to meet many organizations at once and determine those that tug at their heartstrings. Further conversations reveal if that person is a match for the needs of the nonprofit.
Representatives from over 40 nonprofits manned tables and had this to say about the event:
"It's awesome building bridges with other organizations and getting plugged into some of the things they are doing and trying to get people involved with that… When the community comes together to learn more about what it needs, good things happen."
"These are exactly the type of people we are looking for. We are so happy we came and participated."
Without the event, it is difficult to get the broader picture of all the opportunities available in our community. The Chamber acts as the connector that makes valuable relationships possible. Registrants looking for volunteer opportunities had this to say:
“If you want to get involved in your community, this is the place. There were many vendors that I was not even aware of. I recommend it highly.”
The next piece of the Chamber as Champion series will be at the 2nd annual Community Impact Day, where Chamber members provide boots-on-the-ground volunteer projects for over 25 nonprofits throughout the area in one afternoon. To date there are 370 different volunteer opportunities available at this event, and participants will be able to select the one that calls to them. The Chamber is committed to being a Champion for this community, and to bringing meaningful opportunities to our members who share our dedication for making this a great place to live.