Group Volunteer Leader

POSITION SUMMARY

Opportunity : Full-time Position at Cradles to Crayons

Department : Operations

Title : Group Volunteer Leader

Hours : Non-Exempt

Reports to : Senior Manager of Production Planning & Volunteer Engagement

Location : Chicago, IL

About Cradles to Crayons :

Cradles to Crayons (C2C), founded in 2002, provides children, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play.

We supply clothing, shoes, diapers, school supplies, and more, free of charge. Our vision is that one day all children will have the essentials they need to thrive.

Two in 5 kids in the United States are currently facing Clothing Insecurity, going without basic essentials like pants, shoes, diapers, and school supplies during their critical development years.

Three of the top 10 reasons kids miss school are rooted in Clothing Insecurity just one example of the significant short- and long-term social and economic costs when these needs go unmet.

Cradles to Crayons keeps Clothing Insecurity at the core of our mission and is the only large-scale nonprofit organization to focus on this resource gap.

Since its founding, Cradles to Crayons has distributed more than three million customized packages of essentials to children in Massachusetts, Greater Philadelphia, Chicagoland, and nationally, through Giving Factory Direct a first-in-kind online product donation platform launched in 2021.

Cradles to Crayons takes a three-pronged approach to mitigating Clothing Insecurity :

• In-person Engagement through tens of thousands of children and adults volunteering at our Giving Factory warehouses to sort and package high volumes of new and like-new donations from our communities for our Service Partners to distribute to the children they serve.
• Online Product Donations Giving Factory Direct matches product donors directly to children who need the items they have to donate.

GFD is currently available in a growing number of communities as we expand our reach nationally.

• Advocacy and Awareness Cradles to Crayons is uniquely positioned to raise Clothing Insecurity as a national issue through awareness campaigns, data / evaluation, and legislative outreach.
• Cradles to Crayons has earned the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator since 2009. Only 2% of charities nationwide have received this distinction.

C2C has a budget of $20M for FY25.

POSITION OVERVIEW :

The team of Group Volunteer Leaders oversees many of our 30,000 volunteers each year through all steps of their engagement process within our Giving Factory and special events.

They are responsible for conveying the Cradles to Crayons’ mission and quality standards by providing a high-quality orientation and wrap-up at Giving Factory shifts and events.

They have a demonstrated ability to work with volunteers of all ages and abilities, and with a group of up to 30 individuals at a time.

This Group Volunteer Leader team has responsibility to ensure all stations are volunteer ready, efficient and safe and will individually have specific responsibility for two to three stations.

The Group Volunteer Leader (GVL) works collaboratively with the operations team to lead volunteer shifts in the warehouse, coordinating and overseeing the volunteer experience.

The GVL also completes product distributions for partners, organizes activities to ensure the daily functioning and efficient operation of the warehouse, and coordinates the workflow of the warehouse to ensure Cradles to Crayons realizes it distribution goals.

The required availability for this position is for 40 hours per week, Tuesdays through Saturdays.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES :

• Model and lead a positive One Cradles culture, underpinned by Cradles’ Cultural Values and related behaviors.
• Collaborate with Volunteer Engagement Team to meet annual Distribution and Fundraising goals.
• Assist with the general cleanliness, efficiency, operations, and Giving Factory production.
• Responsible for providing a high level of customer service during all stages of the volunteer experience, including :
• Ensuring stations are safe, clean and volunteer ready
• Assist in the station training of Champion volunteers, staff, and interns.
• Work closely with Champion volunteers, checking in before and after shifts to communicate shift goals, etc.
• Following assigned volunteer shift responsibilities regarding pre-shift, shift engagement and wrap-up, post-shift.
• Work with the Operations Team to ensure successful preparation for C2Cs event both on and off site.
• Complete weekly assigned projects and take the initiative to start on new projects whenever possible.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE / KNOWLEDGE / SKILLS / ABILITIES :

• Read, speak, and write fluent English, with great written and verbal skills.
• Work proactively, independently, under supervision, on a high energy, team-based and goal-oriented environment.
• Communicate with coworkers, volunteers, and all visitors to the Giving Factory in a courteous and professional manner.
• Work evening and weekend hours as necessary.
• Easily walk up and down stairs, bend down, reach, push and pull and lift up to 30 lbs.
• This position will require you to move about the facility frequently and is not a stationary position.

DIVERSITY IS OUR STRENGTH :

Diversity and Inclusiveness are core values at Cradles to Crayons, and we continuously strive to be a team where everyone feels welcome and supported.

It is the policy of Cradles to Crayons to provide equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information and / or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.

Individuals from underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

Working Conditions :

This is a warehouse environment and normal changes in temperature are to be expected while working inside the warehouse or outside, on or around the loading dock.

There are no hazardous or significantly unpleasant conditions.

Accommodation :

In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is possible that requirements may be modified to reasonably accommodate disabled individuals.

However, no accommodations will be made by Cradles to Crayons which may pose serious health or safety risks to the employee or others, or which impose undue hardships on the organization.

To Apply :

Please send a cover letter and resume with relevant experience to https : / / www.cradlestocrayons.org / what-we-do / careers /

About CRADLES TO CRAYONS :

Cradles to Crayons (C2C), founded in 2002, provides children from birth through age 12, living in homeless or low-income situations, with the essential items they need to thrive at home, at school, and at play.

We supply clothing, shoes, diapers, school supplies, and more, free of charge. Our vision is that one day all children will have the essentials they need to thrive.

Two in 5 kids in the United States are currently facing Clothing Insecurity, going without basic essentials like pants, shoes, diapers, and school supplies during their critical development years.

Three of the top 10 reasons kids miss school are rooted in Clothing Insecurity just one example of the significant short- and long-term social and economic costs when these needs go unmet.

Cradles to Crayons keeps Clothing Insecurity at the core of our mission and is the only large-scale nonprofit organization to focus on this resource gap.

Since its founding, Cradles to Crayons has distributed more than three million customized packages of essentials to children in Massachusetts, Greater Philadelphia, Chicagoland, NYC, and nationally, through Giving Factory Direct a first-in-kind online product donation platform launched in 2021.

Cradles to Crayons takes a three-pronged approach to mitigating Clothing Insecurity : 1.In-person Engagement through tens of thousands of children and adults volunteering at our Giving Factory warehouses to sort and package high volumes of new and like-new donations from our communities for our Service Partners to distribute to the children they serve.

2.Online Product Donations Giving Factory Direct matches product donors directly to children who need the items they have to donate.

GFD is currently available in a growing number of communities as we expand our reach nationally. 3.Advocacy and Awareness Cradles to Crayons is uniquely positioned to raise Clothing Insecurity as a national issue through awareness campaigns, data / evaluation, and legislative outreach.

Cradles to Crayons has earned the highest possible rating from Charity Navigator for 13 consecutive years. Only 2% of charities nationwide have received this distinction.

C2C has a budget of $12.9M for FY22.