By Amy Klein
February 26, 2013, Princeton, NJ VolunteerConnect announced this week that they are celebrating 15 years of connecting volunteers with greater Mercer County nonprofits in need of support. VolunteerConnect’s mission is to expand the reach, impact and capacity of community organizations through effective volunteerism, thereby enriching the lives of Central New Jersey residents. The organization provides volunteer support to local community organizations and helps them adapt to the changing global economy. Today, VolunteerConnect provides nonprofits with highly skilled professionals who volunteer to assist with critical organizational projects.
“We are honored to continue providing nonprofits with the valuable help they need to succeed,” exclaims Amy Klein, Executive Director. “We have evolved over the years and are staying on the forefront of the volunteer movement by focusing our current efforts on skills-based volunteering.”
Skills-based volunteerism allows individuals to apply their professional skills, experience or education to make an impact at a nonprofit or community organization. Many nonprofits don’t have the financial means to pay staff to complete many key projects. Skills-based volunteers are professionals who enjoy sharing their education and experience while working, during retirement or other life transition or while at home with children. They provide expertise in areas like marketing, strategic planning or website design, allowing nonprofits to continue to direct their funds to client services.
Lorrie Klaric, Executive Director of Dress for Success of Mercer County, has used VolunteerConnect’s services. Volunteer Patrick Condon, a retired IT professional at AT&T, was happy to share his knowledge to move the organization forward. “Our small nonprofit has been fortunate to work with excellent skills-based volunteers,” Klaric stated. “We have improved our communication tools, developed new operational procedures, and ultimately strengthened our business processes through our relationship with VolunteerConnect.”
“The ability to truly help nonprofits at a strategic level using skilled professionals contributes to their success and VolunteerConnect is proud to be the link that enhances each organization,” states Klein.
VolunteerConnect, originally named Hands On Helpers, was founded in 1998 to help volunteers find suitable opportunities. Nancy Robins, a founder and emeritus board member, states that "The internet opened up a low cost way to match volunteers with organizations that needed their help. Now a volunteer in central New Jersey can do what he does best for a non-profit that needs exactly that talent."
To learn more about skills-based volunteering or open opportunities go to www.VolunteerConnectNJ.org or contact the executive director, Amy Klein, at [email protected] or at 609-921-8893.

