By Cheril Lee
Omaha, NE – The City of Omaha recently appointed Kirsten Case-Penrod as its first Chief Service Officer.
The position is grant funded through the Rockefeller Foundation's Cities of Service program. Case-Penrod says Omaha ranks 19th out of 75 cities of similar size in terms of volunteerism. So about a third of Omaha's citizens already volunteer in some capacity in the community. Through her new position, Case-Penrod says she will focus on four specific initiatives. The first two are making it easier to connect citizens with volunteer opportunities and working with at-risk youth. Case-Penrod says she'll also help non-profits so they are better equipped to find the volunteers they need and ensure Omaha's volunteer programs are sustainable.
Case-Penrod says, "The great thing about volunteering is that anybody can do it." If you want more information about the volunteer opportunities available, she says a good place to start is the United Way of the Midlands' web site at www.uwmidlands.org.