United Way to launch new website in effort to draw more volunteers

United Way of Southeast Missouri officials hope the organization's revamped website leads to more people volunteering at area not-for-profit organizations.

Planned for an official launch next week, the website, www.unitedwayofsemo.org, will include a drop-down menu of volunteer opportunities in organizations affiliated with the United Way of Southeast Missouri.

"We'll make this very simple for folks looking to volunteer," director Nancy Jernigan said. "We hope this will make it easier for people wanting to donate their service to one of our worthy organizations. People will be able to pick and choose what they want to do in an easier fashion."

In particular, the organization hopes to recruit more college students through its website. Jernigan said that age group generally has more time to serve the community and uses the Internet regularly.

She said reaching the college-age demographic is part of a larger effort to recruit more volunteers on the Southeast Missouri State University campus. Jernigan said United Way is hoping to form an organization on campus for college students.

"Our hope is to make the college-aged crowd more aware of ways they can serve," Jernigan said. "If we can instill in them the importance of volunteering early on, they're more likely to be actively involved when they enter the workplace."

For those already volunteering with one of the United Way's affiliated organizations, they'll now receive a brief e-mail message about upcoming United Way events and meetings. Currently volunteers are e-mailed detailed agendas and other meeting-related items.

"This will eliminate all the extra information people now get in their in boxes," Jernigan said. "We're very excited about this feature because they won't have to read through piles of information on their e-mail and can now just follow the link for information on our site."

Jernigan said volunteers are vital to the day-to-day operations of a not-for-profit agency. She estimates a volunteer saves an organization about $20 per day in a time when the economy is making it harder for donations to keep up with demand.

But Jernigan said the monetary savings is only one way volunteers benefit an organization.

"Volunteers allow for another way of connecting the organization with the people the agency serves," Jernigan said. "We hope that we can get more people to experience what it's like to touch a life in a very special way here in this area. And we believe the new look of the website will help us accomplish that goal."

bblackwell@semissourian.com

388-3628

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