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VSDC Volunteer Job Descriptions

Welcome to the Vegetarian Society of Washington D.C., an educational and social non-profit organization driven by volunteers!  You will see as you scroll through this page that we have many interesting activities and events to take part in, as well as opportunities for using skills that you possess, or obtaining experience in an area that you would like to develop.  There is room for everyone, and volunteering is a great way to learn, meet like-minded people, and make new friends.  Whether you are interested in helping out "now and then" or are looking for an extended service role, we would love to have you join us.

Please take a moment to look at the categories below to see a list of volunteer opportunities in each area.  You will see that under each category there are two sub-headings.  Leadership Roles are extended service positions with project responsibility.  Team Member Opportunities are specific tasks that support a project's goal(s).  When you find an opportunity that sounds interesting, just send an email to the address listed to learn more or to sign-up.  There is no obligation until you agree the job is right for you.  And remember how important your efforts will be in promoting a responsible and healthy way of living!

For more information, contact VSDC.

VSDC Board of Directors

The VSDC Board of Directors is composed of volunteers who plan, administer, oversee, and coordinate the overall activities of VSDC.  (Everyone is welcome to attend a monthly board meeting to meet the board members and become informed about VSDC's operations.  If you feel that you would like to attend the next board meeting, or have interest in becoming a board member, please call or email us for the date, time, and location.)

Accessibility

Leadership Role: Accessibility Coordinator
Work to ensure that VSDC's events and information are open and accessible to everyone.
Leadership Role: Advertising Coordinator
Develop a comprehensive strategy for advertising and develop the budget to fit the plan.
Team Member Opportunities:
Compile a list of local/neighborhood papers or area newspapers, containing free ad possibilities as well as paid advertising rates, deadlines, and ad size information.
Solicit advertising for the VSDC Newsletter from stores and organizations and handle billing.
Compile a list of local radio stations and their public service announcement requirements.
Compile a list of appropriate non profits to determine the feasibility of ad swaps in their newsletters and publications.
Look into advertising in college/high school papers.
Distribute VSDC flyers throughout your neighborhood.

Budget

Leadership Role: Budget Coordinator
Create VSDC Budget and assist in its periodic tracking.

Database

Leadership role: Database Coordinator
Maintain the VSDC Membership Database.

Discount Program

Leadership role: Discount Program Coordinator
Coordinate the VSDC GreenRewards Program.  Contact businesses or organizations to join the VSDC GreenRewards (discount) Program, negotiate discount, compile information annually, publicize the program.  Work with lead people in Fundraising and Newsletter.
Team Member Opportunities:
Contact businesses or organizations to join the VSDC GreenRewards (discount) Program.
Create brochure of program participants for publicity.

Diversity

It is VSDC's goal to ensure that its membership and programs reflect the demographic diversity of the metropolitan area in terms of race/ethnicity, age, gender, disability, religion, sexual orientation, etc.

Leadership role: Diversity Coordinator
Provide assistance, suggestions and information to VSDC committees to ensure that the concerns and needs of diverse communities are accommodated.
Team Member Opportunities:
Work to educate members of ethnic and religious communities, senior citizens, youth, lesbians or gays about the benefits of being vegetarian and joining VSDC.
Research Cultural and Social Events of diverse populations that would benefit from VSDC's participation.
Write articles for the newsletters of other organizations serving diverse populations.
Provide translated materials to non-English-speaking groups.
Write or provide articles on other cultures for submission to the VSDC Newsletter.
Compile vegetarian recipes for ethnic foods.
Recruit volunteers from other organizations serving diverse populations.

Education

Leadership role: Education Coordinator
Develop a strategic plan for vegetarian education. Identify target groups and range of topics.
Team Member Opportunities:
Identify and gather relevant educational materials from other organizations.
Identify potential educational events and prepare calendar for educational events.
Volunteer to table at an educational event.
Provide vegetarian food demonstrations and education to the public.
Speak to groups about vegetarianism.
Contact businesses to help them be veg-friendly.
Monitor and forward veg-related news.

Electronic Communication

Leadership role: Website Coordinator
Maintain activity and notice information on the VSDC website per information supplied by VSDC and others.  Add new information, remove the old, fix mistakes, and update when changes occur.  Incorporate new features, tools, and strategies to make the website more effective and appealing.  Attend VSDC Board Meetings.
Leadership role: Email Message Coordinator
Handle email from the public, news-feeds, members, organizations, and spam.  Forward information to appropriate people, answer some emails, and ignore others.  Post email messages to various news groups.  Attend VSDC Board meetings.
Leadership role: Email Lists Coordinator
Maintain addresses in VSDC email lists in response to information supplied from members and VSDC.  Add new addresses, remove old ones, fix mistakes, and make changes.
Leadership role: VegLine Coordinator
Retrieve messages from the telephone message system (VegLine), respond to questions and requests, send messages on to the appropriate VSDC persons.
Team Member Opportunity:
Receive urgent messages on your pager, contact the appropriate VSDC person.
Re-design pages of the website or add new features.
Write articles to be posted on website.

Events

Leadership role: Event Coordinator
With VSDC Board input, prepare an Annual Calendar of Events.  Look into coordinating events with other organizations.

Several VSDC groups that hold regular events offer leadership roles.

Leadership role: Adopt-a-Road Cleanup Coordinator
Leadership role: African American Network Coordinator
Leadership role: VSDC Book Club
Leadership role: Parents'/Children's Group Coordinator
Leadership role: Raw Vegan Coordinator
Leadership role: Restaurant Visit Coordinator
Leadership role: Singles Group Coordinator
Leadership role: Summer Potluck Picnic Coordinator
Leadership role: Thanksgiving Coordinator
Leadership role: VegFest Coordinator
Leadership role: Women's Potluck Coordinator
Team Member Opportunities:
Volunteer to help out at VSDC Events.
Solicit free samples and coupons from food manufacturers for use in VSDC events.
Plan restaurant visits to local veg. and veg-friendly restaurants.
Host a Raw-food Vegan Potluck.
Host a VSDC Book Club Meeting in your home or in a restaurant.
Spend a day with the VSDC Adopt-a-Road group picking up trash.
Volunteer to help out at VegFest or Thanksgiving, VSDC's premier events.
Organize an information table at a fair or festival.  Possible leadership role as Tabling Coordinator below.
Maintain list of speakers and experts.  Coordinate a lecture series featuring topics of interest to VSDC members.  Possible leadership role as Lecture Series Coordinator.
Suggest and Coordinate an event that you feel would be of interest to VSDC members.  (Some examples: dances, parties, videos, shows, auctions, outdoor activities, etc.)

Fundraising/Grant Writing

If you have experience with Fundraising or Grant Writing that you would like to share, we would love to hear from you!

Leadership role: Fundraising/Grant Coordinator
Research sources of funding, coordinate grant writing to fund VSDC programs.
Team Member Opportunities:
Locate Sponsors to support VSDC activities
Solicit free samples and coupons from food manufactures to use at VSDC events

Mail

Leadership Role: Mail Coordinator
Retrieve VSDC mail from the VSDC Post Office Box (in Cleveland Park in NW DC), direct it to the appropriate person, and occasionally correspond to inquiries.

Media/Publicity

Leadership role: Media/Publicity Coordinator
Investigate ways to create media interest in VSDC and Vegetarian issues.
Team Member Opportunities:
Develop and maintain a listing of media contacts, local and national, for print, air, and TV.
List VSDC events in local newspaper calendars
Develop a tip sheet for the media of potential stories related to vegetarianism.
Assist in faxing or emailing press releases to the media.  Follow-up with phone calls.
Write articles, letters to the editor in local newspapers as well as college and high school papers.
"Bundle" VSDC Brochures to Regional Libraries for distribution twice a year.
Place and keep in stock quantities of VSDC brochures to be placed in public facilities (stores, restaurants, etc.) in your neighborhood.

Membership

Leadership Role: Membership Coordinator
Communication with and information distribution to members.  Send out member packets and membership cards for new, renewed and gift memberships.  Possibly prepare and mail out renewal notices.

Newsletter

Leadership Role: Newsletter Editor
Produce the bi-monthly VSDC newsletter -- involves planning, assigning articles, editing, creating material, coordinating layout / printing / mailing.
Team Member Opportunities:
Write articles for submission to newsletter.
Place and keep in stock, quantities of VSDC Newsletters in public facilities (stores, restaurants, etc.) in your neighborhood.
Solicit advertising for the VSDC newsletter from stores and organizations and handle billing.

Outreach

Leadership role: Outreach Coordinator
Develop a list of liaisons and contacts with national and local organizations that may be beneficial to VSDC.  Develop an outreach program to reach consumers and professionals who have influence on consumers (school teachers, health practitioners, etc.)
Team Member Opportunities:
Compile a list of campus vegetarian groups.
Work to have VSDC listed as a resource in the publications/directories of other organizations.
Write articles about vegetarianism or VSDC for other organizations' publications.
Get other organizations involved with VSDC activities.
Send quantities of the VSDC brochure to organizations for dissemination to their members.
Contact businesses with information about VSDC/vegetarianism to better inform their employees, customers, suppliers, etc.

Tabling/Exhibits

Leadership role: Tabling Coordinator
Plan tabling events on a yearly basis.  Organize tabling literature and supplies.
Team Member Opportunities:
Volunteer to distribute literature and talk with the public at the VSDC table at tabling events.
Coordinate a tabling event.
Identify and gather relevant information/handouts from other organizations.
Develop tabling displays (for ex. empty boxes and containers of Veg Products).
Compile Veg. recipes for distribution at tabling events.
Coordinate storage of VSDC literature and supplies.

Treasurer

Leadership Role: Treasurer
Maintain the VSDC financial records and provide periodic reports to the VSDC Board, file tax forms, reimburse members for money spent on VSDC projects, assist in annual budget.

Volunteerism

Leadership role: Volunteer Coordinator
Assist VSDC in recruiting, placing, retaining and inspiring volunteers.