Two Volunteer Sites Now Up & Running

While there is no county-wide volunteer organization in Berkshire County, both the NPC and Berkshire United Way have launched volunteer web sites to help nonprofits connect to volunteers. These sites are similar in some respects, different in others. We encourage you to maintain your presence on these sites with up-to-date volunteer opportunities, stories, items needed, etc. Thank you!

Visit NPC’s GiveBackBerkshires.org

Visit BUW’s Volunteer Center

THREE WAYS THE SITES DIFFER

#1  Giving Back vs. Volunteering

GiveBackBerkshires.org is a way for people to take action and offers multiple avenues to do so, describing volunteer opportunities, encouraging donations (linking directly to nonprofit sites), and listing items needed by nonprofits.  The Berkshire United Way Volunteer Center focuses only on volunteer matching.

#2  General Public vs. Corporate Employees

GiveBackBerkshires.org is focused on the general public.  BUW works with corporations to encourage volunteerism. GiveBackBerkshires.org rounds out the volunteer-related offerings of the NPC including the Giving Back guide, Board Trainings, and Volunteer Fairs. The Berkshire United Way Volunteer Center leverages BUW’s corporate connections.

#3 Telling Stories vs. Reporting for Impact

GIveBackBerkshires.org is part of a network of Massachusetts sites dedicated to promoting volunteerism and telling nonprofit stories, including how COVID has affected them. It is funded by Inspiring Service and Massachusetts Service Alliance.  The BUW Volunteer Center uses Galaxy software funded by Greylock Federal Credit Union.  It is a sophisticated platform that allows volunteers to “manage” their activities and allows BUW to generate valuable impact reports.

THREE WAYS THE SITES ARE ALIKE

#1  FREE Resources for Nonprofits

Both sites are FREE to nonprofits and will only be as good as the information entered by nonprofits. GiveBackBerkshires.org currently has approximately 137 nonprofits profiled (mostly members as members were notified first before all other nonprofits).  The BUW Volunteer Center currently has approximately 68 organizations registered.

#2  We’re Here for You

Both sites offer personal support to nonprofits.  The NPC offers a PDF instruction sheet for nonprofits to put their profiles up and maintain them.  BUW offers weekly Zoom trainings.

#3  Search Functions

Both sites offer multiple ways to search for opportunities.  The BUW site offers sophisticated tools such as “suggestions” based on a person’s volunteer preferences.