“What is your biggest need right now?” 

It was a question that stunned me for a moment - not because I was shocked at how genuine a prospective volunteer could be, but because it reminded me why exactly I love this job. 

I was hit with that question about 45 minutes into my once a month spiel at BBP’s new volunteer orientation. During this orientation,  I walk a dozen individuals around the shop and talk about all the ways to jump into our programs . As a person of few words, I find it uncomfortable to have to hold everyone’s attention for so long and typically default to trying to center the conversation around our new volunteers by asking them questions such as; what interests them, whether they are more interested in working with kids or bikes, etc. 

Being cut off with such an earnest question really brought to the surface for me a lot of what I find ineffable about my job – about why I like it so much despite the times when it feels like much of it consists of sending emails . . . which, let’s be honest, nobody loves. 

Working with Boise Bicycle Project’s volunteers means spending your day around the kindest, most badass group of people in town. Individuals motivated not solely by their own interest in working on bikes or helping at events, but by how they can have the biggest impact on their community. 

There was a long silence that was more uncomfortable than I care to admit while I had my little internal dialogue play out, but I appreciated the question as it was the perfect segue to talk about a volunteer opportunity I hadn’t mentioned all night - a phone bank we are putting together for the first week in May to help our Idaho Gives Campaign. 

To me, a volunteer shift calling previous donors and asking for money to support our programs sounded like the type of thing more likely to scare prospective volunteers away rather than motivate them to get involved, but I was wrong. 

Put plainly, this phone bank is the biggest need our organization  has in the next month and is the best chance to put our programs on good footing for the entire year. Idaho Gives is a state-wide fundraising campaign for nonprofits with the ability to bring in a lot of money on any average year.

But this is not an average year. This year, Boise Bicycle Project has a donor willing to match dollar for dollar what is raised during Idaho Gives up to $50,000, which means that with a lot of planning and effort we can capture $100,000 for our programs. Money that can help the free bike repairs events we host, the bike giveaways, the community events, and every other program I assumed a room of prospective volunteers would prefer to hear about. 

After speaking with that group of new volunteers about the phone bank, I have changed my attitude about the plan and am now looking forward to all of the evenings between May 1 - May 4 when we will host more incredible groups of people looking to help with the biggest need. 

And I would love for you to come enjoy it too. From 6 - 8 p.m. those nights you are invited to come sit and enjoy some free snacks and beverages, raise some money to keep the programs in a healthy place, and meet and hang out with others looking to help their community. 

Time spent with groups like these always leaves me in a better mood and I bet it will do the same for you.  You can sign up today with the link below.