Volunteer Opportunities

The San Francisco Vegetarian Society is an all-volunteer non-profit corporation. A committed board of volunteers provides oversight for our many projects and activities. We coordinate events, publish a newsletter, conduct educational outreach to the community, and maintain a web site. We work to provide a broad selection of activities and information resources to meet the needs of all vegetarians and people interested in learning more about vegetarianism. We have no religious affiliation.

Listed below are a variety of available volunteer opportunities. Volunteers need not be SFVS members. Please contact us if you are interested in helping out, or call our Volunteer Coordinator, Nancy Loewen.

Administration Meetings & Events Newsletter Publicity Misc   Immediate needs

Newsletter Mailing Party Coordinator
Volunteer needed to coordinate and host newsletter mailing parties. 5 issues per year.

Reporter for the Newsletter
Enthusiastic vegetarian needed to ‘get the scoop’ on upcoming events of interest to vegetarians. Devote a few hours every other month. Contact Kristen Miles at sfvegkristen@yahoo.com.

Newsletter Editor
Develop and edit content. Review draft with president. Coordinate with desktop publisher. Build team. Coordinate with Distribution to determine quantity needed per issue.

TREASURER
Joseph Cadiz

FINANCE/BUDGET COMMITTEE:
Joseph Cadiz, Dixie Mahy.

DATABASE:
Filled: Jacob Winiecki
Maintains membership list, and other lists vital to SFVS. Provides labels to newsletter team. Provides updated membership list to Secretary at regular intervals, and to president and board as requested. Responds to member requests to review membership list (first checking for member status).

INVENTORY:
Filled: Joan Williamson
Secretary

MAIL PICKUP & DISTRIBUTION
Filled: Jacob Winiecki
The types of mail include: newsletters, member inquiries, checks, and general questions. Distribution includes:

• Checks to treasurer unless otherwise noted
• Any notice from the State Board of Equalization should be forwarded to the Treasurer for response
• Member inquiries to membership
• Event notices to new projects consultant
• Newsletters to president or editor to review for announcements at meetings and/or in newsletter
• General questions can be answered, or passed on to president

NOTE: If the correspondence is not time critical, all efforts should be made to distribute the package in person, possibly at the next regular meeting of SFVS. It is critical that bulky mail not be remailed, due to cost.

• Maintain supply of current newsletters, membership cards, discount lists, welcome letters, stamps.
• Process membership applications, checks, and volunteer offers as appropriate.
• Send member packet to new and renewing members: current newsletter, membership card, discount list, welcome letter
• Provide list of new members to newsletter editor
• Update database.

Non-member related

• Respond to general inquiries or inquiries for membership with sample newsletters, membership information, brochures, sample recipes, flyers on upcoming events.
• Maintain "sign up" database

MEETINGS and EVENTS

SFVS events page

POTLUCKS
Filled: Nancy Loewen
Coordinate all SFVS potluck events. Stores all equipment: dishes, cups, flatware, tablecloths. Works with potluck team volunteers. Ensures equipment available for potlucks. Attends potluck or ensures responsible substitute attends to handle setup, cleanup, arrangement and labeling of dishes,etc.

• reserve room and arrange for payment of rental fee (notify Treasurer)
• confirm access arrangements
• work with President and/or program team to contact and confirm (potential) speakers
• work with Potluck Team as needed
• ensure meeting specifics are relayed to Newsletter Editor
• room set up ú appropriate arrangement of podium, tables for speaker, chairs, check in table, free literature table, and any other needs
• Oversee collection of meeting fee
• Room clean up ú ensure facility is left in at least as good a state as that in which it was found
• Follow up note to speaker

DINING OUT
Open
Interim: Greg Markham, gxmarkham13@hotmail.com

Plans outings and represents SFVS by promoting membership, participation and socializing. Coordinates volunteers who plan outings. Dining Out details may be split up among several volunteers and include:

• negotiating menu in advance with restaurant
• getting information to newsletter editor in advance
• processing RSVPs
• collecting money, coordinating with the Treasurer as needed
• welcoming participants, promote SFVS
• paying restaurant

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NEWSLETTER

• Membership team for new members - approx 30
• Meeting room team for meetings - approx 50
• Voice mail team for new inquiries - approx 60
• President - 100
• Distribution points such as natural food stores, etc.

NEWSLETTER EDITOR
Filled: Kristen Miles

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ADVERTISING
Open
Place advertising for SFVS in newspapers, relevant newsletters, etc.

PUBLICITY
Open
Interim: Dixie Mahy
Writes press releases and distributes to local press for monthly meetings. Coordinates with database manager to maintain list including print, radio and on-line media in both mainstream and vegetarian special interest outlets. Counsels on distribution of additional newsletters. Writes script for SFVS info line.
Publicizes SFVS through press releases and advertising.
Maintain SFVS media list(s). Includes vegetarian-friendly organizations, mainstream media, and national vegetarian-related targets.
Write and distribute press releases for SFVS regular meetings and events (eg Thanksgiving).
May consult with other vegetarian-friendly organizations regarding publicity efforts, and provide SFVS media list for use by others as determined by publicity coordinator.
Seek out opportunities to publicize SFVS and its activities.
Work with Special Project coordinators to publicize other SFVS events as desired.

MISC

WEB SITE
Filled: Tony Martin
Volunteers needed for content development, programming, search engine registration. Team includes webmaster, programmer and content developers. Priority needs: local vegetarian events, SFVS membership, reciprocal links, search engine registration.

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