General Info:
The Bergen Volunteer Center was founded in 1966 by the Junior League of Bergen County and a group of concerned residents, who saw the need for a clearinghouse matching prospective volunteers with agencies that needed their help. Within a few years, we realized that a thriving community needed more than a matching service. Thus, we dedicated ourselves to more structured ways to turn caring into meaningful action. We began this work by sponsoring the Retired & Senior Volunteer Program in the 1970s and again from 2002-2013, helping seniors find productive volunteer activities. Today our direct service programs provide vital support to some of Bergen County’s most vulnerable citizens. We develop local community leadership. And we continue to collaborate with other nonprofits through training and a robust database of volunteer opportunities. Support for the Vulnerable Since 1977, the Chore Service has managed senior volunteer handymen/women to provide safety repairs for the elderly and/or disabled. With approximately 45 volunteers annually, Chore serves over 1,400 unduplicated clients in all 70 municipalities. In 1978, the Department of Child Protection & Permanency asked us to manage Volunteers in Protective Services—now called Mentoring Youth—a program in which trained and supported mentors for abused or neglected children. With approximately 85 mentoring relationships active annually, we have provided over 3,700 children with caring mentors. In 1995, we launched Mentoring Moms, which pairs trained mentors with women whose children are at risk of abuse or neglect. Mentors help moms set and reach goals to provide a safe, stable home. We have provided mentors to over 500 mothers, helping to break the cycle of neglect. Community Leadership Our work with area business to bolster employee volunteer engagement, led to the Business Volunteer Council. Since 2000, the BVC has organized thousands of volunteers to provide books, school supplies and summer meals to low-income children. After Tropical Storm Floyd in 1999, we formed the Bergen County Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster to assist the Office of Emergency Management in preparing for and responding to disasters. In response to Hurricane Sandy, we led a coalition of over 65 agencies and managed over $8 million in federal, state and foundation funding for local Sandy victims. In a county with 70 municipalities, a pipeline of civically engaged, ethical leaders is essential. Bergen LEADS is a 10-month program for adults to better understand the challenges and opportunities facing Bergen County. We host the Fifth Friday Forum, a networking and public policy luncheon. And in 2013, we developed Teen LEADS, a high school based program to introduce local policy issues to students. Collaborative Partner Since the late 1970s we have offered a range of training programs. Today our Expert Exchange offers a variety of professional and organizational development opportunities in person and by webinar. BoardLink and SkillsLink are training and matching services to bring corporate leaders to local nonprofits. We are a member of Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteerism. In 2011, we were designated one of their ten Innovation Hubs.