Volunteer Spotlight
Organizing for America couldn’t exist without the hard work and dedication of volunteers in towns and neighborhoods across the country—who come together to make a difference in their community.
Margy from Rhode Island first became involved with OFA in 2009 during the fight for health reform, making calls to voters in Maine and Ohio, urging them to call their representatives. After the fight for health reform, Margy caught the organizing bug and stayed involved during the mid term elections. Speaking to Maureen Murray from OFA Rhode Island, Margy said:
Calling and talking with voters during OFA phone banks was a wonderful experience in providing accurate and reliable information to voters. I found talking with senior citizens particularly rewarding since they were almost always eager to talk, willing to share, and positive about having been called.
I continue to support President Obama’s work on our recovery, and I’m so pleased that our efforts in Rhode Island were successful.
There are many different ways that volunteers can help out. Shelia, a small business owner from St Louis, Missouri, uses her local connections to help OFA reach out to folks in her neighborhood, as well as hosting a staging location for volunteers and canvassers. Speaking to Marty Crimmins, OFA Missouri new media director, Shelia said:
The President asked citizens early on to stay involved in order to make positive change within our communities. He also said the work would not be easy and change will take time. This is why I am giving OFA my time in order to achieve change. Staying involved with OFA keeps me informed and up-to-date on important issues happening in Washington D.C.—issues that impact me and my community.
In Fort Collins, Colorado, Suzanne started out as a volunteer for Obama during the Iowa caucuses. Now a neighborhood team leader, Suzanne plays a key role in her community:
We know that we’re growing as volunteers—acquiring new skills and confidence in what we can do—but I’d like to think that we have our fingers on the pulse of the voters. We talk to them during phone banks, canvasses, etc., and I would like to make sure that what we learn about what people are thinking and feeling is going up the line to be used by decision makers. If we don’t, we’re missing out!
Margy, Sheila, Suzanne, and the thousands of volunteers across the country are essential to the success of OFA. If you’d like to make a difference in your, find out more about volunteering with OFA here.
