5.2a(2) SF depends on its employees and volunteers to carry out
its tasks, which include delivering food to its member agencies
(customers). The education and training of employees and volunteers
are critical to meeting customers’ needs for timeliness/
dependability. SF has had success in recruiting volunteers from
throughout its service area who have diverse skills and experiences.
SF’s Job Rotation Program allows this diversity to be
leveraged through systematically designed processes for knowledge
sharing and development.
SF uses a variety of recruitment strategies (Figure 5.2-2) that
leverage its positive reputation in its communities. Community
outreach and word-of-mouth are SF’s most powerful volunteer
recruitment platforms.
Employees and volunteers truly represent the diversity of SF’s
service area. Unless a background check reveals unfavorable
findings (determined by SF’s senior leaders), no one is turned
away from serving as a volunteer, although some individuals are
directed toward specific types of volunteer service that best fit
their abilities and SF’s needs. Volunteers serve as a very effective
recruiting group; they relate positive experiences to SF’s communities
and encourage family members and friends to become volunteers
(see Figure 7.4-8). In addition, Program/Operations
Committee members have facilitated focus groups with Hmong
elders and the leaders of the Hispanic community to encourage
more volunteering and partnering with these growing segments
of SF’s service area.