Suzanne Hough knows the importance of volunteers. For 10 years she was Senior Volunteer Program Supervisor at Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ), a 63-year Washington D.C. volunteer program that closed its doors during the pandemic. Now, Suzanne is Volunteer Manager at FACETS, a Fairfax County nonprofit that serves the homeless and the precariously housed. FACETs and Volunteer Fairfax (VF) have worked together for over 20 years. Suzanne is also a member of the Volunteer Fairfax Board of Directors. She explains that, “I became a Board member because I’ve been a fan of VF for about eight years now. I’ve always wanted to be the best volunteer manager that I can be, and VF’s trainings help take me to the next level. They’re a resource to me as I better support FACETS, and as I challenge myself to be more engaged in the greater community. And the volunteers we get from VF, including one of our current front-desk team members, are always wonderful!”
Suzanne feels that this is a time of self-reflection for Volunteer Fairfax, as we move into the post-pandemic world and engage in meaningful work that supports best practices and invites all members of the community to participate in service.
She says VF knows that volunteerism should be reciprocal rather than transactional, that service should be transformative, and that volunteers – who make up 60% of the nonprofit workforce according to Points of Light – should have a voice at the nonprofit table.
“As a member of the Volunteer Fairfax Board of Directors,’ she says, “I can put my time, my treasure, and my talents to work for an organization I believe in wholeheartedly. I want to be a part of their ongoing mission to support the individuals and organizations who help transform our community.”
Suzanne Hough