The Volunteer Sedona & the Verde Valley nonprofit and the city of Sedona’s Sustainability Department will be hosting a Volunteer Expo recruitment event on Wednesday, May 14, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Hub at Posse Grounds Park. The event is free to attend and will offer Sedona and Verde Valley residents the chance to find out about 37 local organizations seeking new volunteers.

“It’s going to be a meet-and-greet event, with a focus on presentations from the participants that highlight not only their missions but also their specific volunteer needs,” VSVV Executive Director Spring Graf said. “We’re going to be there to help these organizations build a reliable base of ongoing volunteers — people they can reach out to for every event, rather than constantly searching for new help. It’s an opportunity for organizations to connect with potential volunteers, and for community members to engage face-to-face, learn about local nonprofits and municipal groups and understand their needs through real conversations, not just by reading about them.”

The event’s goal is to connect residents who want to volunteer with nonprofits in need of aid and to help local nonprofits with their networking opportunities.

“We have such a broad spectrum of organizations taking part,” Graf said. “We have everything from an organization called Dress a Girl, where people can sew dresses for women in underserved communities … to heavy-duty trail maintenance with the Red Rock Ranger [District] and everything in between. People are going to be wonderfully surprised at all of the different opportunities that are available.”

Other participating organizations include ECO Farms, Gardens for Humanity, the Humane Society of Sedona, Sedona Community Center, Steps to Recovery Homes and Wheel Fun, as well as Arizona State Parks and Trails, a department of the state government.

Graf said VSVV will determine whether a second Volunteer Expo will take place after the first event is over.

“We are extremely pleased to have 37 local organizations onboard, and we also have a waitlist of nonprofits that we hope to be able to accommodate,” Graf said.

VSVV currently represents and promotes volunteer needs for 49 organizations throughout Sedona and the Verde Valley.

“We started with 26 organizations last September,” Graf said. “We are thrilled to be continually growing and helping the community. That’s what this is all about — community, connection, collaboration.”

“This event will hopefully inspire new volunteer engagement by being a valuable opportunity for Sedona organizations to highlight the incredible work they do and connect with locals who are eager to make a difference,” city staffer Amy Wright said in a press release.

Graf said her nonprofit has experienced steady growth in participation since their last event in January and are focusing on developing the organization while remaining self-funded and awaiting confirmation of their 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.

“Different organizations have different opportunities, and this is a way to go cafeteria-style and talk to the nonprofits and see how their individual passion fits into that nonprofit. That’s where the gift is,” Graf said. “We want to make it easy and intuitive for people to find opportunities that resonate with them. When people volunteer in areas they’re passionate about, they tend to stay involved … and that’s when they become a real asset to our community.”

For more information, visit VSVV.org or contact Wright at awright@sedonaaz.gov or (928) 203-5115.