Program Notes
Volunteers Make a World of Difference
Each year MSAA strives to serve more MS clients in more places than ever before. Greatly aiding our ability to meet these challenges are the thousands of supportive and dedicated volunteers who have committed their time and resources to help those with MS all across the country.
One of our proudest accomplishments over the past few years has been the continued growth and development of new support groups. These talented and hard-working support group leaders and their active members have helped to build strong connections with fellow MS clients and their families, raise public awareness and understanding, assist with programs and services, coordinate therapy and exercise classes, and conduct vital fund raisers, including the "Sweeten the Season" card candy cane sales program — which is currently underway and in need of volunteers. More recently, numerous support groups have also taken an active role in hurricane relief efforts for those affected by Katrina and Rita.
Four new volunteer programs have also enjoyed great success this past year. Launched in January, Resource Detectives is a group of volunteers who use their skills and ingenuity to research (via the internet and/or telephone directories) local agencies and organizations that provide resources which can assist the MS community. These beneficial resources often include information on prescription assistance, housing, transportation, and other local services. The information is maintained in a growing national database and passed on to MS clients and families, as requested through our client services department and regional offices. This volunteer program also enables our staff to quickly respond to client requests and handle a larger volume of calls on the toll-free Helpline.
Another new volunteer opportunity is the role of Public Education Ambassadors (PEA). A PEA volunteer represents MSAA at various public events, which include work place giving campaigns, health fairs, and regionally organized public education events. These ambassadors strive to inspire people's compassion to make a gift to our worthy organization, as well as inform others about the programs and services MSAA provides to individuals with MS and their care partners. As of this fall, we have enlisted volunteer ambassadors in several large cities throughout the United States.
In addition to these new and exciting programs, MSAA is extremely proud of the continuous support offered by our growing network of professional volunteers. These volunteers generated nearly 1,000 hours of support through the summer, assisting with the cooling, equipment, MRI, lending library, and home modification programs, as well as database support and other administrative activities.
MSAA would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank all those who have graciously and so admirably volunteered their time, skills, effort, and support to individuals with multiple sclerosis, their families and care partners, and our organization. If you or anyone you know would like to volunteer or learn more about these opportunities, please contact Malcolm Friend, director of national volunteer services, at (800) 532-7667, ext. 8 or www.support.msassociation.org.
