Sanford Nonprofits and Charities

I will just tell you about today's experience. I arrived a little before 8 (I volunteer five mornings per week) and Joe was there moving cardboard from the garage onto the 18 wheeler that we fill to recycle. After I signed in I noticed two trollies full of food that was marked, weighed and recorded. It needed to go on the shelves in the store. I also needed to get these trollies empty as they would be reloaded when Jimmy gets back from Walmart. Got it done but there was more on the table which will have to wait until later. Jimmy is back from Walmart so Joe offloads the pallets (Joe knows how to drive the forklift) and fills the trollies and I get my share for the store. Eggs are put on a table to be sorted by Jonathan when he arrives. Joe puts the meats in the walk-in freezer. I start sorting the Walmart delivery...what goes on the shelves, what goes in the fridge, what goes on the bread racks etc. By now it is 9 am and Rhonda (our new supervisor) arrives. She immediately starts to help...so far we have only two bananas for produce, but the Food Bank did give us white potatoes which we have already sorted into smaller bags. People are already starting to form a line outside. Lucky Joe has already put out the parking cones while waiting for Jimmy. Barbara arrives (she is answering the phones as our administrative assistant got married and had to leave) and helps us as well. Grace (volunteer from the beginning) arrives and goes to work on "paperwork" and hanging used clothes to be given out today. Jimmy returns from Food Lion with more produce and bread. He is now off to Piggly Wiggly. Just when I thought it was going to be extremely light in produce a local farmer (sorry don't know his name) arrived with lots of fresh picked corn and yellow squash. Again we have been blessed. Fast forward to 11 am and I am tired and need to go home. The doors will be opened at 11:30 to start. We are closed on Monday (Labor Day) but I will be back as Joe will pickup from Walmart and things still need to get sorted and shelved...even though it is a holiday and we are "closed." <br>Just a note about my personal situation. I am serving my third term on the Board. I started here when we were renting at our previous location. I was chair of the search committee many years ago when we hired our Executive Director...one of my best decisions. As CUOC has grown in service, our Director has grown in her many talents and responsibilities. I moved back to NY a few years ago and after my wife passed I decided to move back home to CUOC. Some people tell me that they don't believe in miracles but I see miracles every day.

This is not a good place to work. The ED has been in his position for 17 years and should have retired 10 years ago. He inspires very little and favors select employees over others. Quoted him several times early on that he avoids confrontation and just likes to keep the peace; these are two qualities a leader should never have. Because of this, operations are shoddy and haphazard. Logical processes especially concerning onboarding new hires are non-existent. They don't pay you for training and then charge you for the training should you leave before 180 days. The ED also fails to walk the talk; told me I needed to wear front button formal shirts and even ties when visiting select families yet most days he wears casual short sleeved shirts more suited for the beach. The founder of the Stevens Center wanted a facility where people with disabilities could gather and participate in activities; it's like a morgue now as the company only does Community and Living Supports (CLS). There is a small day program but the ED only keeps it to "appease a few board members". Sadly the experience here has me departing the field entirely; if you don't want your spirit of serving those with disABILITIES, stay away from here!

I have volunteered at TYLA for 2 years. I have helped with office work, fundraising events, and grant researching. <br> <br>This organization has grown over the years and added a great deal to their original recovery support program. <br>They have helped numerous people over the years with mentoring, support groups, clothing and other resources. <br> <br>They give people a place to go when they need help. <br>