Our Wants v. Real Needs -- Volunteer Blues

I have been trying for weeks to find a Thanksgiving outreach opportunity for our family, and it's getting hard not to feel like a complete loser.

A quick web search came up with very little on-Thanksgiving Day options, with those that looked appropriate already fully-staffed, e.g. they already had the 8 volunteers they figured would do the job.

But I'd asked around and had my sights on San Francisco's Glide Memorial which has an extensive holiday outreach. Literally -- hundreds of shift slots. The website was organized -- but outlined how the jobs would be listed in detail and appropriate sign-ups could begin on November 1st. I then called Glide last week to confirm that signing up early was critical.

So I did what any determined-to-get-a-slot volunteer would do. I checked the website about 12:30 a.m. Yes -- shortly after midnight. The job listings were up. There was even a form to volunteer. So, feeling a bit smug, I put my information in and hit the VOLUNTEER button.
Back popped an error message, something in computer ease talking about line 172 and a backslash. But I pushed forth anyway, ultimately signing up all five family members, each of which got the error message. Then I emailed the Volunteer contact and described what I had done, just in case it took.

I got up at 6 a.m. and did the same thing. Ditto at 7:30 a.m. or so. By 8 a.m. I'd left a message at the info line, just asking if the computer program was having issues.

But then, disaster.

When I checked a forth time at 9:13 --- all the Thanksgiving Day volunteer shift slots were filled. Gone. Like all the seats to much anticipated rock concert. Plus, all the Xmas-related ones, too.

Under each heading, there was a "no shifts available" notice. Store closed. As if to say, nice try. But we don't need you.

Move along.

Loser.

So, I sent another email asking what I had done wrong. I'll let you know what I hear. If nothing else, I'd like to know what to do better next year. Perhaps those close to the situation -- read "have volunteered every year and know that the lines open at 9am even if the website is silent on the issue" -- had an inside track. And deservedly so.

Regardless, the truth is this: Glide's responsibility is to help the needy, not to build would-be volunteer self-esteem. They are generous by dividing their needs into shareable slots.

Still... this whole find-a-way-to-volunteer failure is beginning to feel a little desperate. Like we're Volunteer Losers with no dates to the dance, and not even a prospect of going with the next door nieghbor's second cousin. Twice removed.

It's as if we should post our own volunteers-needed sign, drum up some business.

Help Wanted: Volunteers to pretend to NEED US

Perhaps we should just be happy that either there are so few who need or so many willing to help. Take your pick.

But word to the wise -- if someone is asking for ideas for spending some or all of Thanksgiving, easy on the servings of "Volunteer at a foodback" or "Serve homeless people dinners." It's probably not very hard to do that on the odd Wednesday morning in June, but on Thanksgiving Day, it's a pretty tall order.

That having been said, I'm still looking... so if you have any specific ideas for Thanksgiving outreach in the San Francisco Bay Area, let me know.