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The Volunteer Factor – The Greater saint john Community Foundation Lifting Our Community

April 7-13, 2019 is National Volunteer week.  The spotlight will be on volunteers who love to contribute to various causes, whether it is for the homeless, elderly, animals, the poor, people with addictions, youth, sports, hospice, board of director volunteers, or committee member volunteers, etc.   

Volunteers touch lives and positively affect their community by providing a renewed sense of hope.  We at Higgins Insurance recognize the value of volunteers and the exponential impact they have on our communities.

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To celebrate National Volunteer week we are reaching out to our Local Community Foundation for insight on how volunteers help to build safe, resilient, and sustainable communities!   For the past 43 years, the Community Foundation has remained committed to their mission “to serve as trustee of gifts, support charitable organizations, and inspire community leadership throughout Greater Saint John”.   

So we are reaching out to you Kelly, as Executive Director, and you Trisha, as Executive Assistant, to answer a few questions regarding the importance of volunteers for people considering a career in non-profit organizations!

Here is our Interview with Kelly Evans (Executive Director Community Foundation).

1.  Foundations across Canada measure the impact of their giving by donations (Friendships, Inspire, giving, care, hope, kindness, etc.)  What role does the Community Foundation play in our communities across Canada?
There are 191 Community Foundations across Canada and growing. Community Foundations encourage philanthropy at a local level, within communities and even neighbourhoods. Donors can feel confident that their donation stays local and has local impact.

2.  Why are volunteers so important to community foundations and or to our communities?
Our volunteers serve on our Board and Committees that inform the board. We intentionally recruit citizens from all 5 municipalities within Greater Saint John. Our volunteers come from the social sector, business community and people with lived experience.

3.  What has been the most rewarding aspect of your profession as an executive director of the community foundation with working with a volunteer board of directors?
The leadership role our Foundation has taken to end generational poverty in our area. Our volunteers both on the board and our committees are central to this. We are seeing real change and it is gratifying being part of this important work.   


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Here is our Interview with Trisha Erb (Executive Assistant) 

Why did you become interested in working for the foundation?
I wanted to be involved in a position that positively impacts the community. I have found the right place for that.

What is something that you’ve been excited to be involved in with one your volunteers from your board of directors? Example “Grants Recipients” events.  
Being in the room while our volunteer Community Investment Committee discusses and deliberates on our grant applications is very exciting. There are so many worthwhile projects that people want to do in our community.

Where would we find you Trisha, when you are not at work at the Community Foundation? We have seen your name involved in many hockey events around our community and most recently World U17!
That’s something I do for fun. I worked in hockey for my entire career until recently, so volunteering in that capacity is nostalgic and fun for me. Saint John/Rothesay/Quispamsis have built an excellent reputation as international event hosts, which is really great for the community. The reason for that is 100% because there’s an amazing amount of volunteers who participate in these events to ensure they run flawlessly.     

Higgins Insurance has been protecting families since 1993. You can reach us 1-866-273-2911.


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