Did you know??
In 2015, a quarter of Nashvillians reported volunteering, on par with the national rate.
The value of a volunteer hour in America is $29.95 as of April 2022.
Benefits of volunteering include decreasing isolation by connecting members of the community to each other, improving physical and mental health, and providing new experiences for personal or professional gain.
As a non-profit, A Step Ahead values volunteers and recognizes the time spent as an essential piece of what keeps us running. At A Step Ahead, we have several volunteer opportunities– ranging from administrative to outreach. The biggest need that volunteers meet is spreading awareness of A Step Ahead’s mission through assisting at tabling events in the community.
This summer, between June and July, the outreach team, consisting of staff and volunteers, tabled at 17 events across 6 counties (including Juneteenth in Williamson, Clarksville Summer Nights in Montgomery, and Back to School Bashes in Robertson and Davidson), and interacted with over 700 people. Volunteers are the lifeblood of these events, helping share information about reproductive and sexual health resources to folks in Middle TN.
A typical volunteer shift at an outreach event consists of helping set up and tear down table displays, talking with teens and adults about birth control methods, answering questions about services, and sharing free resources with people who come to the table. These events range from health fairs to festivals to community baby showers– no two events have the same audiences and activities, which keeps us on our toes and makes these shifts a lot of fun!
Volunteer Sierra shared, "I love being a volunteer for A Step Ahead. Some of my favorite memories from my time with this organization were spent at local farmers markets getting to educate the community about free LARC methods and show people of all gender identities what IUDs and Implants looked like with our models we bring to tabling."
Our volunteers come from various walks of life, but share a common passion to serve our community and equip Middle TN residents and students with resources that can advance opportunity, provide choices, and empower them to live the life they desire for themselves. "What a pleasure it has been volunteering and having the opportunity to invest in the community around me," shared Volunteer Mia.
If you have a passion for expanding access to reproductive healthcare in Tennessee, and enjoy engaging with local communities, please click here to enroll in our Volunteer Program! We are infinitely grateful for the service of our volunteers, and we look forward to continuing to share our mission in our 18 Middle Tennessee counties!
"Everyone at A Step Ahead is wonderful and it's truly a fantastic organization to get to be a part of."
-Volunteer Sierra
Written by: Olivia Seay