Sister Corps Inc

Sister-Corps’ Board of Directors is primed for growth to better serve the needs of communities with disasters or in areas with environmental needs.

The primary mission of Sister-Corps is “to mobilize volunteers to provide recovery relief efforts in areas affected by natural disasters...” We formed to serve others, and we have a clear focus on that mission in all we do. However, in the disaster projects that unfold each year, we have become aware that we have an “unstated mission”---- and that has become to be an organization for women who are serving others especially in natural disasters as they utilize and further their own leadership and construction skills. That was an unexpected development, in other words, on our journey to developing procedures and a program for meeting that mission of serving others who are in need, it has become clear that there is a NEED among women to have this organization in which they can serve and hold leadership positions even as they are doing disaster recovery work and light carpentry previously associated primarily with men. We are developing these trained volunteers and reliable workers, both in increasing numbers and in skills.

In order to be able to get to serve more people, we need to grow in two areas: human capacity (BOTH- numbers of volunteers) and financial capacity.


Building our Human Capacity

Sister-Corps volunteers respond to projects based on their availability so by increasing opportunities, we can increase participation.
Increase our financial stability and

Sister-Corps volunteers respond to projects based on their availability so by increasing opportunities, we can increase participation. By having smaller local or regional projects, we can meet our service component AND we also can pull more volunteers into our larger projects: Once they participate in a smaller project, they are usually eager to continue volunteering in the larger projects even when they are several states away.

We aim to build confidence and skills in our volunteers for the field work they encounter.

We as the leadership need to have our response force ready to go with much of the groundwork already laid, volunteers trained, traveling vehicles and equipment trailer loaded and ready.

We need to use qualitative and quantitative data and to improve our volunteer recruitment. This is in the form of surveys and questionnaires that collect data regarding age, employment or not, miles traveled to project, time away from home, obligations that are deterrents to volunteering. These pieces of data along with others, can be useful for us to see who our typical volunteers are and what motivates them.

Increase our financial stability and reserves --In order to grow in strength, and in capacity, we must have adequate funds to do that. Sister-Corps is almost entirely a donation driven organization. Building and nurturing relationships with donors and building reoccurring donations are very critical pieces of the Development Committee. This team is charged with increasing our corporate sponsors and with seeking a strong, ongoing relationship.

We do have two volunteers working on seeking grants; the funding from grants will be used to build our ability to respond with nimbleness.

We need a strong presence and visibility- from Instagram and YouTube to websites, to earned media (newspaper/magazine, or television). This media coverage is with two purposes in mind: increasing our donations by telling our story and personalizing the survivors and this group. The visibly of these and their stories will go a long way in creating the desire to help Sister-Corps help others. And it gives the opportunity to increase donations, so we have more resources to help the survivors in the area.

Our strongest asset and or capability is our determination and our commitment to this mission of service. We are a group of women with the “Can Do” attitude. We also have as an asset the years of various professional experiences and careers that honed the ability to plan, organize, set goals, all with a strong work ethic and now with (the majority of the volunteers in) retirement years, we are more able to devote our time as we see the need. We are also benefited by the network of people we have across the nation and the backing of families, friends, other organizations, and other like-minded individuals.

A strong financial basis will allow for the duplication of equipment and keep us from having to raise money while trying to prepare to deploy to an area. If we can build to the point that we have three to five cargo trailers of tools and equipment, placed in strategic locations across the nation, we could better serve one or more disaster sites even simultaneously. Our priority is to have one on the Eastern seaboard or southeast corner of the country or as far north and west as Tennessee. This would allow us the ability to get to a devastation in that region in long driving session.

A substantial study was conducted this past year by a Graduate Class at Loyola University-Chicago. The class examined our printed and electronic media as it aligns with our mission statement and our mission in action. Program assessment has been conducted using both qualitative and quantitative methodologies with results shared and studies by the board used to inform change or modification in project design or in recruitment/training. These program assessments will continue as the organization grows and adapts.

Our growth over six years is a testament to our ability to set goals and to achieve them. For the past six years, we have gone from a loosely organized group that had goals only from one project to the next. Now, the leadership has set forth a long range plan, and set out specific goals within that. In several instances, we are proving to be two or more years ahead of a strategic plan goal that we set. We have grown from a very small budget of funds that was largely depleted from one annual project and the next one requiring a new fundraising drive. We are now sitting with financial assets of over $150,000. Our donations in 2022 increased 320%. We received significant support from a couple of foundations, and two private donors. We have received corporate donation from Hilti Tools, Tool Bank, and Princess Craft.
We have accomplished a growth in numbers of volunteers to several hundred who have participated in one or more major disaster projects, or environmental relief projects; and hundreds more that have made their contribution by donations and other forms of support.
We are holding several opportunities for training for both drywall and for light carpentry. Other training is being arranged or in some cases, we are lining up trainings to how a volunteer can take the time of “Blue Skies” (between disasters) to get more qualified. These include First Aid, Wilderness Medicine, CERT (Community Emergency Response Team), CPR, Fire Prevention Response, and Food Handler Safety as a few examples.
We are attracting new volunteers each year along with a strong percentage of returnees. Our recruitment is word of mouth and a newly remodeled website that pulled in 840 new visitors in four months. We have been the subject of several news articles or podcasts (almost 2o stories to date).

This year we have offered several classes to strengthen our skills: carpentry, drywall installation, first aid, and wilderness medicine. Approximately 112 women have participated in classes from Nov. 2022 to Aug. 2023. Others have acquired online certification in food handling, chainsaw operating, and First Aid, and administration.
Members of the board have attended a regional and a national conference for VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) and as a result have made new connections with other nonprofits and made steps in partnering with these respective agencies!

Our next goals are the continuing of solidifying corporate sponsorships along with a very sophisticated means of nurturing our donors and turning them into ongoing donations. We are preparing to with addresses. corporate sponsorships.

A Medical Study Group is assessing our role in disasters with health and safety.. Their recommendations will make a significant contribution to the direction we take in health and safety for the foreseeable future. Another study group will make recommendations in all the roles and tasks in our projects that must have certified.