In-Kind Sponsorships
One of the main goals when it comes to fulfilling the mission of Women's Medical Respite is to foster relationships with entities in our community, whether that be faith organizations, businesses, non-profit groups, or groups of likeminded and passionate individuals.
During the past year of making our organization more publicly known, Women's Medical Respite has been asked to provide a way for these groups to assist in filling needs within our organization. After much consideration, we are joyfully announcing our new In-Kind Sponsorship Program.
What Does In-Kind Mean?
For our purposes, In-Kind refers to volunteer groups who want to donate increments or time and/or fulfillment of service hours in lieu of a financial donation. Financial donation can also occur, but it is not included as an aspect of these positions.
If this sounds like something your group might be interested in, please contact us below by clicking Learn More. We'd love to speak with you about how we can further our community engagement and how you can help us assist vulnerable women in our community.
Our In-Kind Sponsorship Teams
1 / Peer Mentoring & Client Coaching Team
Since 2021, we have had many individuals reach out asking how they can get involved with mentoring our clients to provide encouragement and support as they take the difficult but necessary steps to better their life situations.
This team will be comprised of those individuals, people wanting to become involved in helping clients make good choices and take steps towards personal and professional development. Members of this team work alongside the Community Reintroduction Team and Outing Accompaniment Team to assist clients in a variety of tasks.
Tasks could look like spending time with a client finding an appropriate outfit for a job interview, or going over questions on and helping to complete a housing application. The goal is to help the client feel confident in the positive decisions they are making to recover and better their situation.
2 / Relaxation & Recuperation Team
This team is responsible for spending time at the Respite with our clients, ensuring they feel comfortable and safe while receiving care and support. Involvement can be expansive, but the goal should be to support our clients in recovery and relaxation.
During this time, teams can offer to play board or card games with clients, enjoy television and movies together, and conduct further activities as appropriate. This could be as simple as sitting quietly beside a client while they rest or having a cup of tea while they enjoy the weather outside.
***We ask applicants to remember that our clients are here to rest, so activities need to be easy to do and passive. We are happy to discuss further details of what this could look like with all interested groups.***
3 / Fundraising & Event Planning Advisory Panel
This team works with our previous clients, community contacts, and executives to plan and execute fundraising initiatives and events. This could mean planning a fundraiser online or helping in person to assist with decorating or serving at an event.
Members will work with the Public Relations & Financial Support Team to make sure that all business and community contacts are approached for fundraising and events, and this team will assist with our annual Contact and Donor Drive event.
We encourage people who love to entertain or decorate to also apply to serve on this team. An eye for decor or knowledge of local entertainment would be a great benefit and we would appreciate any involvement.
4 / Public Relations & Financial Support Advisory Panel
Several entities within the Springfield and surrounding communities have approached Women's Medical Respite to collaborate with our organization. This team works with our executives to foster communication and working relationships with local businesses and community organizations to fulfill these types of requests for involvement.
Members will work with the Event Planning & Fundraising Team to make sure that all business and community contacts are approached for events, and this team will assist with our annual Contact and Donor Drive event.
The Public Relations Team will also be responsible for meeting with our Treasurer and Accounting board members for input on how we can be wisely managing our growth as a non-profit. Members of this team do not have to consider this an obligation of the role and can be exempt from this responsibility if requested.
5 / Outing Usher & Transport (OUT) Team
This team helps to accompany our clients for medical appointments or outings should they need or desire company while outside the Respite. This could look like loading a wheelchair into a Volunteer Driver's vehicle or riding along on a bus trip to a therapy appointment with a client.
This team also fulfills another objective: making arrangements for client transportation while at the Respite and following discharge from the program. Helping to secure consistent transportation for clients to support the initiative of the Community Reintroduction Team is one of the two priorities of this team.
Finding consistent transportation can often be the determining factor in being able to keep stable employment or in losing the ability to make follow-up appointments with doctors. This team aims to prevent that loss in stability through planning and community outreach.
6 / Community Reintroduction Team
The saddest part of working with our clients is that we are not always able to help our clients find safe housing or stable employment before discharge from the program. Our clients can sometimes suffer from addiction and need treatment but lack the ability to receive it due to their situation. Other clients need therapy after escaping abusive living situations, and have just gotten out of the hospital.
This team will help provide perhaps one of our most needed services. Members of this team will choose one current Respite client and spend time learning about the client's situation before working with the client to meet goals in their recovery action plan. These goals can look like applying for jobs or housing or making therapy appointments and transportation plans following discharge. Whatever the goal is, this team will work alongside the client to help provide support and peer counseling.
***We ask applicants to remember that clients may have to be discharged from the program for many different reasons, and that client success is not guaranteed. With this is mind, we built this team to encourage clients to create positive change within their lives, and would love to see this team grow.***
7 / Grant Writing & Development Support Team
This team meets to provide support to the executives working to apply for government grants to help further the cause and development of Women's Medical Respite. Development of the organization is becoming our biggest concern, and preparing for growth is crucial.
For this team, we're seeking to partner with groups that foster business development, non-profit and community organization cooperation, and government or professional writing expertise. We are happy to list all entities as sponsors and organizations we are in cooperation with, and would love to see the Respite grow with support from within Springfield.
***We ask that groups or organizations who apply to this team please be advised that we are a non-profit organization, and we will not be able to purchase products or services from those applying to serve on this team. We apologize for the inconvenience.***
8 / Meal Service Team
This team is responsible for receiving donated meals and food prepared by the Meal Preparers. Once the meals have been received, this team will help to serve clients meals and sit with them to share the meal as well as provide accompaniment and peer counsel. This team can also be responsible for clearing after meals are finished.
After the meals have been completed, teams have an opportunity to spend time engaging in a group activity with one or more clients. During this time, teams can offer to play board or card games with clients, have special themed meals (Taco Tuesday, etc.), and conduct further activities as appropriate.
***We ask applicants to remember that our clients are here to rest, so activities need to be easy to do and passive. We are happy to discuss further details of what this could look like with all interested groups.***
9 / Men's Awareness & Action Team
When Women's Medical Respite has had the opportunity to talk to our community members, one question has prevailed: what can men do to help the organization? How can men Get Involved? We now introduce the Men's Awareness & Action Team. This team has two goals within our organization: 1) host a team of men to help plan men's educational events and recruit guest speakers for said events and 2) promote community education for men, encouraging and hosting safe spaces to learn how to engage with other men in awareness activities.
It is our hope that the members of this team can feel empowered to educate men in the community on topics like how to recognize when a friend could be a perpetrator of abuse, how to address abuse perpetrated by men against all ages and genders or how to feel more confident in teaching your children consent. This group will be responsible for hosting an annual men's awareness and action event.
This group will also have the opportunity to hear testimonies from clients as a way to understand what abuse and homelessness can look like, how abuse has been experienced by clients and family members, and what men could do when they discover or witness violence or domestic abuse. Together, we can work with clients and use these stories to help make a difference.