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Aster Aging earns national reaccreditation for exemplary volunteer engagement practices
May 23, 2024 — For Aster Aging, Inc. a nonprofit supporting over 6,000 older adults annually in the East Valley through programs like senior centers, Meals on Wheels, in-home support services and outreach, volunteers are indispensable partners in fulfilling their mission.
"We simply cannot do what we do without the power of volunteers," said Deborah Schaus, Aster Aging's CEO. "Volunteerism has been woven into the fabric of our organization since our grassroots beginnings in 1979."
Initially founded by a group of community volunteers concerned about lack of senior services in Mesa, Aster Aging grew organically from hosting congregate lunches and delivering meals to homebound neighbors. While this spirit of service remained strong over the decades, eventually leadership recognized the need for a more structured, sustainable volunteer engagement model.
"We had all these amazing volunteers doing great work, but it was siloed based on which program they first connected with," explained Schaus. "We didn't have a structure, or a centralized management approach."
Enter: The Service Enterprise Initiative (SEI), a national program offered in Arizona by the ASU Lodestar Center, together with the Association of Leaders in Volunteer Management (AL!VE) and Points of Light. The program provides a research-based framework to help nonprofits effectively engage volunteers and integrate their time and talent to increase organizational capacity. Organizations that earn the Service Enterprise accreditation are among the top 11% of nonprofits nationwide in volunteer management and organizational performance.
Undergoing the rigorous Service Enterprise accreditation process in 2020 allowed Aster Aging to thoroughly evaluate their practices against a comprehensive set of standards and implement key improvements like organization-wide volunteer policies and role development. However, shortly after achieving initial accreditation, the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
"Two weeks after we were accredited, we had to temporarily suspend most volunteer roles because the majority of our volunteers were older adults in the high-risk category," said Schaus. "We went from around 300 volunteers to just 30-40 at the height of the pandemic."
Determined to reinvigorate their volunteer engagement strategy as programs reopened, Aster Aging pursued Service Enterprise reaccreditation last year, facilitated by the ASU Lodestar Center. The process prompted the nonprofit to assess areas for ongoing optimization.
"The timing was perfect for orienting our new and longstanding staff on the systems and mindsets we had put in place a few years prior," said Schaus . "It allowed us to build a shared understanding and make additions like a formalized volunteer feedback process."
According to the Service Enterprise reviewers, Aster Aging demonstrated exceptional practices around integrating volunteers strategically, providing robust systems of support and creating an exemplary experience – hallmarks of organizations operating at the highest national standards.
"We honor and appreciate their commitment to the Service Enterprise standards of excellence," stated reviewer Tracy Lato-Smith. "It's clear this organization remains dedicated to empowering volunteers in meaningful roles and cultivating a welcoming, impactful environment for their service."
Looking ahead, Aster Aging will concentrate on aspects like strategic volunteer recruitment aligned with evolving community needs, comprehensive staff and volunteer training on engagement best practices, and mechanisms for increasing diversity and removing accessibility barriers.
"Our work doesn't end with reaccreditation – it's really just beginning," said Schaus. "Continuous improvement in how we strategically partner with volunteers is crucial for delivering innovative services that allow East Valley seniors to thrive."
Schaus encourages other nonprofits to explore the Service Enterprise model for developing their volunteer capabilities and infrastructure.
"Investing time in evaluating your policies and redesigning systems using proven standards creates a solid foundation for lasting change," she advised. "The expertise from the certification process was invaluable, as was achieving a nationally accredited credential that publicly demonstrates our commitment to volunteering."
In addition to the operational enhancements, Aster Aging's Service Enterprise journey has reinforced the profound community impact of volunteering and the importance of empowering volunteers as true partners, not just help.
"Our volunteers don't just supplement our work – for many programs they ARE the program, like our volunteer-run Neighbors program providing assisted transportation and companionship to homebound seniors," said Schaus. "Volunteering empowers our own clients and community members in reciprocal ways by allowing them to share their skills and experience while staying active, connected and purposeful."
As Aster Aging commemorates over 40 years of evolving to address the diverse needs of older East Valley residents, their renewed Service Enterprise accreditation signifies an enduring organizational culture of strategically engaging volunteers to increase their capacity and deepen community impact.
"In the end, earning this prestigious credential isn't about us – it's about being able to provide the absolute best volunteer experience and leverage community talent to continue supporting our growing senior population for decades to come," said Schaus. "Our volunteers are the heart of what we do."
Image: Dr. Robert Ashcraft presenting Deborah Schaus, MSW, Chief Executive Officer, and Bob Dowd, Board Chair of Aster Aging, Inc. with their reaccreditation credentials.
Story by Nyasha Mhungu, ASU Lodestar Center
Volunteerism unleashed: Earn your nationally recognized accreditation as a Service Enterprise
The ASU Lodestar Center offers nonprofits access to the Service Enterprise Initiative, in partnership with AL!VE and Points of Light. We equip nonprofit and public organizations to increase their return on volunteer investment and meet their missions.