5 Ways To Show Your Volunteers Your Appreciation

Volunteers are the backbone of any non-profit organization or political movement, whether you’re canvassing the town to whip up support for a mayoral candidate or running a no-kill animal shelter. Without volunteers, you limit your ability to meet your goals. 

Like everyone else, volunteers want to feel appreciated. By acknowledging, thanking, and rewarding your volunteers for their time, you keep them motivated and willing to help. Organizations show their appreciation with small gifts, Sincere thank-yous, and ensuring volunteer safety. Below are five ways to appreciate your volunteers. 

1. Tell Them What Their Contributions Mean

It’s a simple step, but one of the best ways to keep volunteers happy is to help them understand the impact they’re making. The purpose of some volunteer work isn’t always clear and can feel repetitive or even boring. Let your volunteers know how their efforts support your mission. For instance, the volunteer who cleans bird cages for a wild bird rehabilitation center has a difficult, messy job, but understanding their efforts help by preventing disease outbreaks can keep them motivated and proud of their contribution. 

2. Regular Check-ins

Much volunteer work occurs behind the scenes, in back rooms, storage rooms, and other out-of-the-way places. Volunteers can feel isolated in such locations, so check in with them regularly to ensure they take breaks. A quick chat can help break the boredom of monotonous but necessary tasks, as can calling backroom volunteers to the front when something exciting is happening. 

3. Free Food and Water

Keeping your volunteers well-fed and hydrated shows you care about their well-being, especially during hot or strenuous outdoor events. If your organization is, for instance, cleaning up a local park, a snack table and a water station help energize your team. Add organizational brand recognition by rewarding volunteers with reusable bottles at the water station. The Eddy®+ 20 oz Bottle Tritan™ Renew by Camelbak and the 16 oz. Collapsible Swiggy Bottle make great volunteer gifts. If your event is in the fall or winter, substitute the water station with a coffee or hot chocolate table and give out the 20 oz. Viking™ Nova Tumbler instead.

4. Keep Them Safe

One of the most important ways to show you care about volunteers is to keep them safe. Provide volunteers with the training and equipment required for safe task completion. The volunteer who helps carry large boxes for a food bank should know how to lift heavy items safely and when to ask another volunteer for help. A volunteer who works with animals should have access to medical kits in case of bites or scratches. Outdoor volunteers should have access to appropriate protection from the elements and, if necessary, high-visibility vests and safety pants. 

A first aid kit helps your volunteers treat minor accidents. You can keep a large kit like the 133 Piece All Purpose First Aid Kit on-site or give your volunteers small branded first aid kits, like the Instant Care First Aid Kit™ or Ripstop First Aid Kit.

Volunteers for event parking should have high-visibility vests to alert motorists to their presence. The Premium Mesh Modacrylic FR Class 2 Vest or the Two Tone Surveyor Type R Class 2 Mesh Safety Vest by Radians offer ANSI-certified high visibility vests. If you need to keep your volunteers dry and visible, consider the Hi-Vis Classic Contrast Rain Jacket by Portwest.

In certain circumstances, such as natural disaster relief, volunteers require higher levels of visibility. Add a pair of safety pants to a high-visibility vest or jacket for extra protection. Options include Radians’ Class E Sealed Waterproof Safety Pants and Class E Surveyor Safety Pants or Rainproof Safety Pants by Tough Duck.

5. Thank Them with Cards and Branded Rewards

Thanking your volunteers is the most direct way to show your appreciation. You can send personalized thank-you cards or publicly thank them on your website, social media, or local news outlet. Often organizations do both and include promotional gifts with their thanks. Possible appreciation gifts include the following: 

Backpacks

Backpacks make great gifts. Use the Puffy Sling Backpack or the Touchdown Clear Drawstring Backpack as swag bags for volunteers, or reward an exceptional volunteer with the sturdy, well-made Foundry Series Pro Backpack by Carhartt.

Branded Keychains

Promotional keychains make excellent swag bag additions for volunteer thank-you packs. Choose from practical keychains like the Elliptical Beverage Wrench Keychain or a Keylight and Screwdriver Set, or add fun to your thank-you with a Popper Stress Reliever Keychain.

Magnets

Another small, practical thank-you gift, branded magnets remind volunteers of your appreciation whenever they look at their fridge. Give them a Dry Erase Memo Magnet for groceries and to-do lists, a Neon Power Clip to keep loose paper organized, or a BC1 Magnet with a Bag of Hershey's® Kisses® to say thank you while satisfying their sweet tooths.

Flashlights

Flashlights are practical gifts everyone needs. The Madison Magnetic Flashlight includes two bright LED lights and attaches to any ferrous surface for hands-free use, while the Ugo LED Flashlight with Lobster Clip connects easily to belts and keychains. The Barrel Stubby Flashlight, in contrast, is a compact 6-LED flashlight that is ideal for camping and outdoor use.