Casey Clay: Wearing Many Hats at Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits
Thanks to the LSB Community Fellows Program, I am lucky enough to be working with the Silicon Valley Council of Nonprofits (SVCN) for the 2018-2019 school year. SVCN is a training and advocacy network for other nonprofits in the Silicon Valley that works with local governments to pass policies that will benefit nonprofits. The organization also hosts training sessions tailored to help nonprofit organizations succeed, such as budget management or effective grant writing. SVCN hopes to provide stable footing for these organizations so that they can become self-sufficient.
While I am officially the ‘Marketing and Communications Intern,’ I have worn many hats in my first few weeks of working. Initially, I was put in charge of our ‘Community Calendar’ and ‘Job Board’, which highlight major events and job availabilities for our member organizations. Over time, I was able to take on additional responsibilities like website maintenance, bolstering our social media presence, and even building a bidding campaign for our upcoming fundraiser. All in all, I’ve really enjoyed the wide array of positions I’ve been able to take. I love to learn, and I learn best by doing, so being able to wear several different hats has really helped me to broaden my horizons.
Our whole crew has been working full steam ahead for our biggest event of the year, Be Our Guest, which is a fundraiser for SVCN. Local “celebrities”, like government officials and nonprofit leaders, act as servers for each table. One big draw is the Pumpkin Auction, where all the pumpkins are designed by our servers and SVCN staff members. For the last week, our office table has been converted into a pumpkin design station. Whenever we need a little break from the hectic planning for Be Our Guest, we will gather at the table and work on our pumpkins. To me, this is the perfect way to show off the amazing company culture that SVCN offers. Every day, we will eat lunch together at the office table and whenever anyone needs help with their work, there is always a helping hand nearby. SVCN is definitely a great place to work.