Keeping the Lights On Is One Act of Random Kindness at a Time

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I am very pleased to report that we are progressing on the 2016-2017 Emergency Disaster Services

Strategic Management Plan. This plan is the culmination of volunteer efforts during in 2014-2915, within the Sierra del Mar Division for The Salvation Army. It was affirmed that there is not a need to redefine our Mission statement and we believe our Vision statement identifies the direction of Emergency Disaster Services. We will continue to improve our Mobility across the Division resonated by the many Divisional Corps Volunteers. The Army’s Mission defines what we do and who we are. Our Vision defines our ideals- what we aspire to be. We are entrusted with efficiently managing, preserving, and protecting Emergency Assistance for the Sierra del Mar Division in preparation for recovery efforts within San Diego, Imperial, San Bernardino and Riverside counties. I encourage all of you to be prepared to work with our Strategic Management Plan, and as you do, think about how the EDS Vision, and Goals connect to you. Throughout the Plan you will see a strong focus on safety, preservation, and operations, we will be using strategic objectives and performance metrics as tools to manage from the Plan with quarterly reports tied to these objectives and metrics. Sierra del Mar Division’s livability and economy depends on donors. Your Volunteer efforts are vital in helping to fulfill EDS’s future. Our new Strategic Management Plan recognizes the vital need for collaboration and partnership with all our stakeholders to provide The Salvation Army with an EDS response and Training system . We must meet mobility demands and satisfy economic, environ- mental, and social equity considerations while maintaining a focus on safety, preservation, and operations. The tools we will use to implement this Plan are performance management, transparency, accountability, sustainability, and innovation . The Plan serves a number of functions:

Provides clear direction for meeting Divisional objectives; Creates and deepens strategic partnerships; and Provides performance measures that monitor success .

Message from the Director

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The Army and the Sierra del Mar Division will remain committed to modernizing Emergency Disaster Services by addressing these challenges, now and in the future . Our Mission and Vision, coupled with the goals and strategic objectives, provide EDS with a direction that is now consistent with the Army’s planning and policy objectives and set the course for EDS role in Emergency Response System . Sierra del Mar Division will continue our readiness to respond to more than 7.2 million people in four counties in California. We now have more than 750 registered volunteers trained with the basic emergency assistance courses. Emergency Disaster Services is meeting the evolving challenges associated with providing donor funding, project delivery, and societal needs . Emergency Disaster Services Department will play a strong role in helping all divisional departments reach their goals and objectives. Emergency Disaster Services is meeting the evolving challenges associated with providing donor funding, project delivery, and societal needs . Emergency Disaster Services Department will play a strong role in helping all divisional departments reach their goals and objectives. STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PLAN The goal for EDS is to be a high-performance, efficient, transparent, accountable, and modern organization meeting relief challenges by improving communication, building stronger partnerships, and fostering a culture of performance and innovation . This Strategic Management Plan is a key tool to achieve our goals. The purpose of the Strategic Management Plan is to be a roadmap of Emergency Disaster Services’ role, expectations, and operations as we meet the challenges of modernizing EDS into a world-class Department of Relief Services .

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Emergency Disaster Services is trying to grasped this concept and are taking what we call a talent management approach—investing in the infrastructure to recruit, develop, place, recognize, and retain volunteer talent. These are the savvy managers who recognize that there is a new national momentum and opportunity to engage more Americans to help solve America’s intensifying social and environmental problems. Despite the recent national attention generated by the first-ever Service Nation Presidential Candidates Forum, a new bipartisan legislative proposal to expand support for volunteering and service, and the emergence of cabinet-level positions on volunteering in two states, most nonprofits are still letting volunteer talent slip away like water through a leaky bucket. EDS NEED’S MORE TALENT The EDS sector desperately needs the professional skills offered by volunteers. The nation’s nonprofits are under strain from the current economic crisis, a leadership drain as older executives retire, and high turnover among younger nonprofit staff .Volunteers are an undervalued and underused resource for tackling these challenges.

Our volunteers are energetic !!

Volunteers can do much more than stuff envelopes.

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Volunteers, for example, can help nonprofits save money by providing technology services, developing programs, training staff, and conducting strategic planning, all without being paid a salary. Volunteers can also ease financial pressures by helping nonprofits raise money. Volunteers are effective fundraisers because their personal commitment to the organization’s mission makes them convincing advocates for the cause. In addition, volunteers are likely to donate to the organization at which they serve. Despite these benefits, few nonprofits use wide-scale volunteer mobilization as a principal funding strategy. And it’s not just money that’s tight. The nonprofit sector is also facing a leadership crisis. Research has found that nonprofits can be expect to lose more than 25% of their current leadership. Nonprofits also face high turnover rates among mid-level and entry-level professional staff. A 2007 study by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network found that 45 percent of nonprofit workers predict that their next job will not be at a nonprofit. These young staffers cited burnout among the top reasons for leaving. To alleviate staff burnout, nonprofits can bring in older, experienced volunteers. Retired baby boomer volunteers can mentor young nonprofit professionals, leading to improved staff morale and lower turnover. Volunteers can also take on leadership roles formerly performed by paid staff. In some instances, volunteers can even manage paid staff. Some work is simply best performed by volunteers. Local volunteers may know their community’s assets, important players, and underlying challenges better than any paid staff person, helping the nonprofit stay connected to the community. Volunteers can also serve as evangelists to the larger community, helping to promote the nonprofit and its mission.

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Boots on the Ground July 25, 2015

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September Disaster Preparedness Month

Are you Ready?

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Jessica Young stopped by to say hello to her team members Carsa Evans and Edward Shandley. We always like to stay in touch with all our past EDS employees. They all come and go but are always there when they are needed. Just a phone call away.

Jessica now lives with her husband in Reno, NV.

Hi Everybody!

Hello! My name is La Shon Palmer and am the newest member

of the EDS team. I am originally from Florida, but I grew up in

San Diego. In my previous position with the SDSU/UCSD Cancer

Center Partnership I worked as an administrative assistant and

was also involved in community outreach. Helping others is very

motivating to me on a personal level.

Therefore, I am very excited to become a part of the Salvation

Army’s Emergency Disaster Services department and learn more

about the amazing services they are able to provide with the

support of their dedicated volunteers.

Meet Our Newest Team Member

Miss Angela Ellis has now been promoted to

Administrative Assistant for the Salvation

Army’s Women’s Ministry Department.

Exciting EDS Department Updates

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Coolers for Strike Team Members

Coolers to store essential items and also to keep your water cool. Being a safe and healthy volunteer is critical to our efforts. Here is one way for our Corps Strike Teams to be ready.

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Rock Church Army Response

August 9, 2015

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Thanks to La Shon Palmer my Assistant and to all the other

contributors to this months Director’s Notebook.