A Letter from the Executive Director

Catholic Volunteer Network strives to honor community by cultivating spaces, relationships, and supports that help you nurture your soul and strategies. We affirm your vision and creativity, and hope this community can affirm and challenge you to serve even better.

A sense of belonging is critical for the demanding work of mission. You are doing unique things that not everyone understands. CVN wants to help by connecting you with others who know your perspectives and needs. Part of our calling is to help you benefit from opportunities to share your thinking – as well as the stirrings in your heart. I hope being part of CVN is good for your soul; your spirit; your being. I pray that allows you to explore and nurture connections that feed you spiritually – and make you more strategic.

CVN membership renewal is a time to remember how unique you and your program are, affirm your place in this community, and share with us how we are doing in supporting you. I invite you to consider some new ways in which CVN will represent and equip members this year.

Just a few weeks ago, we formally launched a new “Choose Service” volunteer video testimonial campaign. This project was created with some of you. It seeks to help all of you by telling the story of faith-based service in new ways. These videos will reach people via paid advertising and other online efforts. The message illustrates the integration of faith, community, and practical application. And it demonstrates how beautiful it is when the complexities of who you are and what you offer come together.

In addition, later this year we will offer a new format of training to help you better tell your program’s story. In partnership with a respected marketing firm focused on helping nonprofits, CVN will offer an 8 to 10-week cohort style program on strategic marketing and recruitment. The course will include several live video sessions that build upon each other, as well as dozens of worksheets, templates, planning tools, diagrams, slide decks, and examples to help you customize your own strategic marketing game plan for your organization.  It will be offered at a deeply discounted price.

Finally, we plan to adapt the marketing and recruitment course model to develop additional trainings on mental health and diversity, inclusion, and equity. 

You are at a special intersection of lay ministry, emerging leadership, young adults, creative spirituality, ecumenism, and justice.  CVN is so glad for that. And we hope you find a sense of belonging with us. We are committed to nurturing community that encourages your creativity and leadership.

If you have thoughts about membership renewal or our plans for 2020, please let me know. You can find information on the renewal process HERE.

With you in service,
Yonce Shelton
Executive Director