Would you like to engineer a dream for someone?
Sometimes, a device is all that stands in the way of an individual with a disability achieving independence or pursuing their passion. When that device is not available in the marketplace, that’s when May We Help steps in. May We Help volunteers design, build, and deliver custom devices at no cost to hundreds of recipients every year.
The team consists of nearly 100 engineers, industrial designers, inventors, welders, woodworkers, seamstresses, doctors, OTs, PTs, and makers and tinkerers of all types. The general sentiment of a May We Help volunteer is best summed up by this volunteer who said,
“There’s nothing as satisfying as using my skill set to help others.”
While at many non-profits, volunteers assist the staff to see through the organization’s mission, at May We Help, the staff exists to support the work of the volunteers. Better still, the founders remain two of the organization’s key workhorses. Join them, won’t you?
How it works:
Volunteer Match
Learn MoreRequests for devices are continually being submitted to May We Help and shared with the May We Help volunteer team. Volunteers take on requests that they feel match their respective skill sets and interests. Once a match is made, the original request becomes an official project consisting of a recipient and a volunteer or team of volunteers.
Discovery visit
Learn MoreVolunteers then arrange a time to meet with the recipient to discuss the project. We call this the Discovery Visit, and during this visit, volunteers learn more about the recipient and the environment in which they hope to thrive! Discovery Visits are an essential part of the May We Help process and form the basis for collaboration and design.
Design & Build
Learn MoreUsing May We Help’s state of the art Impact 100 Workshop, volunteers go to work designing and building the custom solution.
Delivery
Learn MoreOnce the solution is complete, it’s time for Delivery! Volunteers get to deliver the completed solution and enjoy watching their work transform the recipient’s life. It’s as rewarding and exciting for the volunteer as it is for the recipient!
Volunteer Meetings
Volunteer meetings are held once a month. A casual dinner is served at 6:00 pm and the meeting begins at 6:30 pm. While not mandatory, many volunteers attend the majority of the meetings and enjoy connecting and brainstorming with other volunteers! At every meeting, we aim to:
- Inspire by sharing one-of-a-kind solutions recently completed by volunteers
- Inform by sharing new project requests
- Educate with guest speakers on topics that expand volunteer skill sets
- Connect with the community and other volunteers
Time Commitments
May We Help volunteers are rather autonomous! They decide what projects to take and how many. Each project is unique as each recipient requires individualized attention. Last year, the average project was completed in 29 days.
Learn More
For a tour of May We help or to learn more, please contact Brianne Wilkerson at [email protected] or 513-344-5103
Or join us at a volunteer meeting! Volunteer meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 6:00 pm.
At May We Help, there are always opportunities to do some good for someone else. Here are some of them:
Some May We Help projects require high levels of technical sophistication but others do not. Sometimes, a creative approach is all that’s needed to bring a smile to someone’s face.
Here’s one example! In this case, a team of volunteers mounted a pair of crocs to a set of bike handlebars for a child who’s missing his thumbs and fingers and needed an alternative way to hold the handlebars.
In addition, maybe you don’t have a technical skillset now, or maybe you do but it needs a little polishing up. If that’s the case, May We Help offers classes to volunteers who want to learn how to use the equipment in the shop or improve their existing skills.
And if working on projects isn’t your thing but assisting at May We Help is, we’re always looking for people who want to help with cooking for the volunteer meetings or helping out with events like our Adaptive Equipment Swap, Halloween Festival, and fundraising events.
- Project Timelines
The length of time it takes to complete a project varies greatly, and there are many factors that can impact project completion. May We Help volunteers are expected to assess each project on an individual basis to determine a 30, 60, or 90 day completion timeline. This serves as a guide to ensure that the projects are staying on track and moving along as intended.
- Communication
May We Help volunteers are expected to have frequent and timely communication with recipients from the start of a project through delivery. Communication and collaboration with the recipient is essential to each phase of the project process. Additionally, volunteers are asked to remain in regular contact with the Project Manager and provide project status updates via email at least two times per month.
- Documentation
Volunteers are expected to provide project completion information which includes; the number of hours, pictures of the device, receipts for materials, and if available drawings and/or description of the design concept.
We leave it up to the volunteers to decide if they would like to work independently or as part of a team. Sometimes it is dependent on the size/complexity of the project and diversity of skills needed to complete it. Collaboration and teamwork is an important part of the May We Help process!
- After submitting the volunteer application, volunteers are required to complete a background check prior to beginning work at MWH. Background checks are completed through Goodhire.com and the initial cost of $20 is the responsibility of the volunteer. After one year of volunteering at May We Help and having completed at least one solution, May We Help can reimburse the $20.
- Volunteers must attend a one-time orientation, workshop overview, and safety course.
- Before taking on a project, all new volunteers will be paired with a seasoned volunteer for at least one or two projects in order to experience each step of the project process, from discovery to delivery.
- Once volunteers feel comfortable with the May We Help project process, they will be able to work on projects independently or as part of a team.
May We Help is able to pay for project materials through the generous donations of its individual donors and corporate partners.
VOLUNTEER SPOTLIGHTS
Chris & Janet Garner
Bob Woolf
Eileen Bloustein
Jeff DeVol