ARCGLA Volunteer Handbook

VISTA members receive a modest living allowance through their year of service, Childcare assistance if eligible , Choice of Education Award or End of Service Stipend , Education award upon successful completion of service , Health Coverage , Relocation Allowance , Stipend , and Training .

The American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles has 6 VISTA positions available. AmeriCorps VISTA members will play an integral role in building the American Red Cross Greater Los Angeles capacity to implement preparedness programs in conjunction with our Catastrophic Disaster Plan. VISTA members will expand on our existing outreach and education programs in order to empower more people in vulnerable groups with the tools, information, and training needed to improve their personal preparedness. In addition, VISTA members will help increase the capacity of vulnerable communities to open and operate their own shelters in the immediate aftermath of a disaster by identifying leaders within those communities, identifying the proper facilities, providing partner organizations with the necessary supplies and equipment and training new shelter operators from within community partner agencies.

If you are interested in applying for a VISTA position, please complete an AmeriCorps application at www.americorps.gov under the project name of “Prepare LA+”

VISTA POSITIONS AVAILABLE ARE:

1) Preparedness Communicator

Duties: Assist the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles in launching its Prepare LA program. Help establish Prepare LA+ as a recognizable slogan within Southern California. Motivate over 1 million people in Los Angeles County to become more prepared. Fulfill Catastrophic Disaster Plan, and develop the capacity to shelter 250 families and serve 2 million meals per day before assistance arrives. Improve capabilities to manage large scale disaster by improving communication & coordination with local police and fire departments, Local and State Agencies, CERTS, Partners, and our National Organization.
Qualifications: strong written communication, speaking, and video presentation skills.
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

2) Partner Relations Specialist

Duties: The Partner Relations Specialist Vista member will assist the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles increase its capacity for sheltering, feeding, disaster education, and case management services to low-income, special needs, and other underserved populations within our jurisdiction by building on existing relationships with external partners that serve these specific populations such as faith-based organizations, other non-profits, and governmental agencies. The Vista member will work with these partners to ensure that we are adequately addressing the needs of these populations and to communicate our mission to these populations. The Vista member will also research areas within our jurisdiction where our presence is lacking and identify potential partners in those areas to assist in communicating our message.
Qualifications: Superior written and verbal communication skills; Must have a professional attitude; Professional presentation skills; Computer skills; database management, word processing and power point design; and Flexibility, patience, enthusiasm and support of the Red Cross. Candidates with proficiency or fluency in a foreign language, including Spanish and Korean, would be helpful.
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

3) Shelter Readiness Program Specialist

Duties: The Shelter Survey Specialist Vista member would provide assistance to the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles Chapter in delivering on its mission to provide relief to victims of disaster. This position fulfills a vital element of the Red Cross mission and to increasing the chapter’s capacity to provide assistance to all populations within our jurisdiction. This position entails but is not limited to; researching facilities that could operate as Red Cross emergency shelters, introducing the agency to the Red Cross mission, scheduling a site visit, surveying the facility, securing an agreement, data entry of site information and quality assurance of shelter data. This Vista member would coordinator the volunteer shelter survey teams to visit the potential location, ensuring that it meets Red Cross standards and needs.
Qualifications: Superior written and verbal communication skills; ability to work well independently and as a team; must be thorough and have a keen attention to detail and efficient with scheduling duties; must have a professional attitude and understand the importance of follow-up when developing a business relationship, professional presentation skills; computer skills; database management, and word processing; posses valid California drivers license and have reliable mode of transportation; and flexibility, patience, enthusiasm and support of the Red Cross and VISTA missions.
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

4) Client Casework Specialist

Duties: The Client Casework Specialist Vista member will assist the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles develop, maintain, and evaluate the client casework program. This program allows the Red Cross to assist individuals who have been displaced from their homes due to disaster such as fire, earthquake, flood, etc. This program provides immediate emergency shelter, food and clothing to those who may not have the means. This position would be responsible for developing client casework procedures and maintaining the client casework manual. Additionally, this position would be responsible for maintaining the client assistance system, which is the database used to manage all of the client cases.
Qualifications: Superior written and verbal communication skills; must have a professional attitude, professional presentation skills; computer skills; database management, word processing and power point design; and flexibility, patience, enthusiasm and support of the Red Cross and VISTA missions
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

5) Prospect Researcher

Duties: Assist the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles in its mission of providing relief to victims of disaster and helping prevent, prepare for, and responding to emergencies through supporting the Financial Development Department in stewardship, solicitations and identification of new donors. The vista member would be responsible for identifying new funding sources from corporations, foundations, and individuals. The member will assist with the compilation of fifty proposals over 1 year. Assist with proposal research and writing by: researching corporations and foundations to prepare proposals; following proposal guidelines, editing proposals; gathering program statistics and information to be included in proposal, and submitting proposals and add to Raiser’s Edge records. Do prospect research on 200 individuals that could increase their gift level or become new donors to the Red Cross. Write acknowledgments on a quarterly basis. Assist Annual Fund Coordinator with the set up and coordination of monthly Thank-A-Thons and assist with the creation of reports to foundations
Qualifications: Strong written communication and editing skills attention to detail, experience working in deadline-driven environments, able to work independently and handle multiple assignments and meet deadlines. Skilled in reading and interpreting financial, technical and trade documents and journals, including annual reports, real property files, and court records.
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

6) Volunteer Liaison

Duties: Under the supervision of the Volunteer Manager, the Volunteer Liaison plans, develops, and coordinates volunteer recruitment programs for the primary lines of service and district offices. They will supervise and participate in selecting, placing, and training, evaluating, recognizing, and developing programs for adult and youth volunteers and coordinate reward and recognition program conjunction with the district coordinators. In addition, at times, will represent the organization to community organizations, and groups interested in collaborative service delivery relationships
Qualifications: The ability to perform or be trained to perform the preceding tasks in a satisfactory manner; the ability to do short term planning (work plans, goals, special project budgets, etc.), as handle multiple tasks and meet deadlines. Excellent communications skills, both oral and written; be able to present and to address groups while being sensitive to the audience being addressed; human relations skills (ability to determine needs of volunteers, to prepare and present ideas, to respond to concerns and questions). Supervisory skills are required (interviewing, evaluating, delegating, motivating, and recognizing). Be able to work with volunteers, possess knowledge of volunteer recruitment techniques, knowledge of volunteer training and development techniques and excellent employee and volunteer relations skills.
Location: West Los Angeles
Hours: FT | 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. (and as needed)

Red Cross Values its Volunteers!

During the months of May and June, the American Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles tipped its hat of to volunteers in each of our district offices by celebrating the Candlelight Awards.

The chapter’s most outstanding volunteers were honored in various categories that include Health & Safety Services, Disaster Services, and Youth. Nominees are put forth by peers and volunteer award committees for each location determine the Candlelight winners.

The celebrations ranged from weekend luncheons at local restaurants to evening events at the district offices.

We thank our most precious resources (our volunteers)! Each volunteer who attends the Candlelight Awards also received a Red Cross blanket.

Candlelight Winners

Candlelight Photos:

May 10 - South Bay/South East
photos

May 13 - Santa Clarita
photos

June 17 East San Fernando Valley
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June 19 - West Los Angeles
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June 21 - West San Fernando Valley
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Congratulations to the 2009 Candlelight Award winners!

Volunteer of the Year Award

Jo Burke -West LA District
Don Dodson - West Valley District
Pedro Orellana - Central East District
Daysi Jarquin - Santa Clarita Valley District
Linda Wright - East Valley District

Disaster Services Award

Thumper Bloomquist - East Valley District
Christina Jurado - Central East District
Jo Lasky - Santa Clarita District
Lynette Walters - West Valley

Leadership Award

Mike Abramson - West Valley District
Patrick Dougherty - East Valley District
Aileen Llamas - Central East District
Kathy Rutherford - South Bay District

General Services Award

Ruth Burke - West LA District
Brian Conley - Santa Clarita Valley District
Jesse Duron - Central East District
Cintia Fowlks - West LA District
James Harvey - East Valley District
Sue Hunter - West LA District
Jae Ko - Southeast District
Kevin Mikail - West LA District
David Tuckman - West Valley District

Disaster Mental Health Services Award

Deborah Barber PhD - West Valley District

Volunteer Registered Nurse Award

Linda Housden, RN - West Valley District

Health and Safety Services Award

Jean Bernaldez - Wilshire/Koreatown District
Jeannine Brown - East Valley District
Tom Dwyer - Easy Valley District
Russell Hardine - Santa Clarita Valley District
Luis Martinez - Wilshire/Koreatown District
Angela Medel - South Bay District
Paula Pruner - East Valley District
Gordon Wylie - West Valley District

Youth Services Award

Monica Cano - West Valley District
Ashley Cruz - Santa Clarita Valley District
Nikta Jaberzadeh - West LA District

Nomination Process

Both volunteers and employees are encouraged to participate in the nomination process. You may nominate more than one person. Please read and follow all of the instructions on the forms. Nomination forms can be viewed and downloaded by clicking on the award categories below. Completed nominations must be submitted to the Office of Volunteer Programs no later than November 13, 2009 by email to Bee Kong at kongk@arcla.org or by regular mail (Office of Volunteer Programs, 11355 Ohio Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90025).

UPDATE: Nomination Deadline extended to November 13th by close of business!

Volunteer Award categories:

Volunteer of the Year Award
Disaster Services Award
Health and Safety Services Award
Leadership Award
Youth Services Award

Employee Award categories:

Support Services Award
Professional/Technical Award
Management Award
Partnership Award
Mission Award

In addition, this year we will be adding the Jessie Thompson Award, named after the late Jessie Thompson, the consummate volunteer liaison who worked for the Red Cross for over 3 decades and best exemplified the meaning of partnership and collaboration. This award can be bestowed to an employee or to a volunteer.

New Award Category:

Jessie Thompson Award