Volunteer Leadership Lab

09/04/2026

More than 20 years ago, Annie Adams launched Communities In Schools at New Hanover High School and started a program for students who were expecting babies while still in high school.

She stayed in their lives, and their children's lives, for 18 years.

Last year, that first group of "baby steps babies" graduated high school.

"They've had close relationships with supportive adults forever, and to see them all celebrate the major milestone of graduation, and go off to college to chase their dream jobs, was just a really humbling thing to witness." (Kendall Englehart, CIS of Cape Fear)

That's what a two-decade commitment to a community looks like.

Read the full interview: https://www.ilmvolunteerhub.org/blog/display/?blog_id=31364

09/03/2026

Who supports the people who support the volunteers?

That is what the Leaders Circle is for. Once a month, volunteer coordinators, executive directors, and employee engagement leaders from around Wilmington gather to swap ideas, work through shared challenges, and learn strategies that make a real difference in their programs.

No presentation to sit through. Just good conversation with people who understand the work.

Leaders Circle | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | 9AM | Azalea Station

Seats are limited, so RSVP here: https://www.volunteerleadershiplab.com/leaders-circle

08/27/2026

Leading volunteers is a lot to carry on your own.

The Leaders Circle is a monthly gathering for the people who recruit, train, schedule, and support volunteers across our area. We talk through real challenges, trade solutions that actually work, and leave with something useful for the week ahead.

Come for the comradery, stay for the ideas. Your voice also helps shape where volunteerism goes next in the Wilmington area.

Leaders Circle | Tuesday, September 8, 2026 | 9AM | Azalea Station

RSVP: https://www.volunteerleadershiplab.com/leaders-circle

08/22/2026

ILM Volunteer Hub Demo and Q&A | Thursday, August 27

Join us in person to learn what the ILM Volunteer Hub is, how to use it, and what it means for your organization and our community.

Two separate sessions, so please sign up for the one that fits you.

🕐 1PM | Nonprofits and organizations
🕑 2PM | Volunteers and community members

We'll cover:
• Setting up your profile on the platform
• Navigating the site and its key features
• Benefits of using the site
• Q&A to answer questions and work through any issues you're having

Location: The Harrelson Center, Plaza on Princess
20 North 4th Street, 2nd floor, Downtown Wilmington
Guest parking is available in marked spots under the building, and street parking is nearby.

Register here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOe7FSQDID3I0kkzuIUEHXRcXpFumwPq9G2ISb1pLn_slt3Q/viewform?usp=header

Learn more at www.ilmvolunteerhub.org

08/14/2026

With nearly 50 organizations on the ILM Volunteer Hub, there are plenty of ways to get involved. Here are five places to start:

1. Feast Down East
2. Coastal Horizons RCC
3. Cape Fear Literacy Council
4. The Healing Place of New Hanover County
5. 2 SHARE

Whether you're looking to give back for an afternoon, find a cause you're passionate about, or make volunteering part of your regular routine, there's a place for you.

These five organizations are doing important work right here in our community, and they're looking for people who want to be part of it.

For volunteers: Browse opportunities by cause, by date, or by what fits your schedule. Create a profile, find an opportunity that speaks to you, and track your volunteer hours as you go.

For organizations: The ILM Volunteer Hub gives you a recruitment and volunteer management platform without adding another line to your budget (it's FREE!). Post your needs, manage your volunteers, and reach people who are already looking for ways to serve.

Nearly 50 organizations are already part of the Hub. Find the one that's right for you.

Visit www.ilmvolunteerhub.org to explore volunteer opportunities or add your organization today.

08/13/2026

The volunteers holding your programs together are getting older. The generation behind them cannot afford to retire.
That is the volunteer gap, and it is opening right now.

Here is what the research shows:

✔️ Baby Boomers have volunteered at roughly 30% a year, the highest of any generation. By 2030, every one of them will be 65 or older.

✔️ The average Gen X household is facing a retirement savings shortfall of about $405,000. They will be working well past the age at which Boomers stepped away.

✔️ More than 30% of nonprofits already report trouble maintaining service levels because of declining volunteer numbers.

Retirement created time. Time created availability. That equation is breaking, and most volunteer programs are still built for the way it used to work.

The good news: this problem is predictable, which means it is solvable. My new white paper breaks down what is happening and offers 7 concrete steps nonprofit leaders can take now, before the gap arrives.

Read it free, no form or download required 👇 https://www.volunteerleadershiplab.com/post/the-coming-volunteer-gap-boomers-are-aging-out-and-gen-x-is-delaying-retirement

I would also like to thank JC Lyle for the inspiration behind this research.

Baby Boomers have long served as the backbone of formal volunteering in the United States. As they age into their late 70s and beyond, their capacity for sustained, structured volunteerism is diminishing. The generation positioned to replace them, Generation X, faces a retirement crisis of historic....

08/11/2026

Small but mighty group at our Leaders Circle this morning!

The Leaders Circle, hosted by The Volunteer Leadership Lab, brings together those who manage, support, or coordinate volunteers to discuss challenges, share solutions, and learn strategies that make a real difference. Whether you are a volunteer coordinator or an executive director, if you are charged with managing volunteers for your organization, you are invited!

Join us for our next Leaders Circle on Tuesday, Sept. 8 | 9AM | Azalea Station

RSVP here: https://www.volunteerleadershiplab.com/event-details/leaders-circle-2026-09-08-09-00

Catholic Charities - Cape Fear Office Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program Coastal Horizons RCC Cape Fear Literacy Council Independentworks

08/11/2026

We have a few of opportunities to learn more about using the ILM Volunteer Hub coming up! Register today - links below!

Nonprofit Onboarding Session
August 19, 2026 | 10AM
Virtual via Zoom
Register to attend at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevuHTh2zl7X1yOxsHUdcsvGgEvZ_7Ncc7Q3_xFopNJ6KaO2w/viewform?usp=header

ILM Volunteer Hub Demo and Q&A Session
Thursday, August 27th
The Harrelson Center Plaza on Princess
1-2PM for Nonprofits
2-3PM for Volunteers
Register to attend at this link: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOe7FSQDID3I0kkzuIUEHXRcXpFumwPq9G2ISb1pLn_slt3Q/viewform?usp=publish-editor

08/03/2026

✨ Sometimes the best conversations happen when you least expect them.

We ran into Belinda and asked her to share her experience with volunteering—and her answer was a beautiful reminder that giving your time doesn't just impact others. It changes you, too.

If you've ever wondered whether volunteering is worth it, we hope her story inspires you to take that first step. 💚

What has volunteering taught you? We'd love to hear your story in the comments.

Find out more about Cape Fear Literacy Council and their volunteer opportunities on the ILM Volunteer Hub through this link: https://www.ilmvolunteerhub.org/agency/detail/?agency_id=186260

08/03/2026

Welcome to our first volunteers on the VLL team!

This past week, we gathered our new team for our first official meeting and orientation session, and our hearts are full. These amazing five women have recently joined the VLL team as volunteers, each giving their time and talent with passion and purpose. Their work is focused on making the ILM Volunteer Hub a valuable tool for our community and providing the resources around volunteerism our area needs.

Agnes is lending her data science background to our Annual Volunteer Impact Report, set to release in April 2027. As our Data Analyst, she'll help us tell the real story of volunteerism in New Hanover County, one number and one narrative at a time.

The rest of our new team is volunteering their time to help grow the ILM Volunteer Hub, our free platform connecting volunteers and nonprofits across the county.

Meghan is working behind the scenes to keep the platform's content thorough, accurate, and up to date.

Caroline and Sandy are spreading the word on social media, making sure our neighbors know how easy it is to get connected and start serving.

Sandy is also building bridges with the community, connecting people directly to opportunities that matter to them.

Suzy is capturing it all behind the lens as our photographer, while also helping link New Hanover County residents and nonprofits to the ILM Volunteer Hub.

Welcome, Agnes, Caroline, Meghan, Sandy, and Suzy! We are so thankful you have chosen to volunteer with us. 💛