Our passion for volunteers and how they change lives through their time and talents is just one reason to bring their stories to the intimacy a podcast can provide. So we started one! We call it People Powering Change, which has been the title of our website’s blog since 2019. Here’s the link to listen!
People do power change through the proactive step of showing up and placing themselves in service with their communities and neighbors. We think it’s magical, and we know it’s transformational for those they serve, and importantly for themselves.
At Companis we always have so much to share with our community, and we’re excited to add a podcast as one of our communication tools. We hope you’ll listen and give us your thoughts!
In Episode 1, former Companis volunteer Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush is featured first, as he prepares to be our keynote speaker at September 20th’s Compassion Takes Flight, our annual fundraiser. Paul returns to Seattle as President and CEO of Interfaith Alliance, a national organization advocating for the separation of church and state in the U.S., which is challenged on many fronts today. Paul relates his Companis experience 25 years ago to setting him on his current path as an eloquent spokesman for our nation’s democratic values, and denouncing authoritarianism.
Then we talk with Chris Langeler of CL Strategic. Chris has a view across our local nonprofit sector and the impacts the new federal budget bill is having – and expected to make – on area human services programs. Chris has been a strategist for Companis since 2019.
Then, Jillian Harmon, Companis Associate E.D. and our lead volunteer matchmaker, details Companis’ first-ever partnership with the University of Washington and the UW School of Social Work. We’re stepping up to help UW SSW students find practicums, help get the supervisory support students need, and enable more social work assistance for our neighbors seeking assistance. The partnership idea came from the UWSSW’s Griffin Street, who for years served as Companis Worker Support Coordinator. We are thrilled to launch this pilot program!
Jillian will also talk about the types of volunteer requests we are looking to fill this month, which will be a standard feature of People Powering Change. We plan to offer People Powering Change every month.
