Verified Volunteers and the Meals On Wheels Association of America Partner to Offer Online Volunteer Screening Platform
Ft. Collins, CO, and Alexandria, VA (PRWEB) May 29, 2014 -- Verified Volunteers, the first-of-its-kind platform for volunteer background screening, and Meals On Wheels Association of America, the oldest and largest national organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs, announce their strategic alliance to make vetting volunteers safer, streamlined and less costly for Meals On Wheels members.
This partnership makes the background screening process faster and more user-friendly for participating Meals On Wheels member programs and their volunteers through a streamlined platform, cost-sharing features, and Fast-Pass background check sharing capabilities. Using Verified Volunteers’ self-service online platform, volunteers can submit their information for a background check by completing a simple, four-step registration process, with results available within hours or days.
Meals On Wheels operates with the support of approximately two million volunteers who provide more than one million meals each day to seniors in need. Some local programs serve meals at senior centers, while others deliver meals directly to the homes of seniors, with many programs providing both services. Altogether, there are 5,000 local Senior Nutrition Programs across the United States.
“Volunteers are the backbone of Meals On Wheels,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of the Meals On Wheels Association of America. “Our new partnership with Verified Volunteers will enable our member programs to quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively screen new volunteers to keep up with the escalating need for nutritious meals. Verified Volunteers will deliver peace of mind to our programs so that they can deliver peace of mind to our seniors.”
Since as many as half of all volunteers serve with more than one organization, the cost and inconvenience of repetitive screening can be a significant barrier for Meals On Wheels and their volunteers. Verified Volunteers is the first screening platform to offer a “common screening currency” for service organizations and a Fast-Pass for Volunteers. This means that volunteers can share their completed background check with any other nonprofit, youth sports organization, school or faith-based organization in the Verified Volunteers community. This unique platform makes it easier for volunteers to start serving faster, and decreases the time and monetary investment needed from Association members.
“It is an incredible honor to partner with one of the largest volunteer armies in the country,” said Verified Volunteers Executive Director Tom Klein. “Verified Volunteers was designed with valuable, grass-roots feedback from Meals on Wheels programs and we look forward to more programs joining us as we chart a new course for volunteer screening in America.”
Features of the Verified Volunteers platform include:
· A paperless, self-service online process
· Cost-sharing capability between volunteers and the nonprofits they serve
· Fast-Pass: Volunteer ability to securely share background checks free of charge with multiple volunteer organizations on the platform
· Automatic monthly updates (at no additional cost for the first year) and real-time alerts
· Manager ability to track, communicate with and manage volunteers
· Compliance with FCRA and state laws
The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the most recent national organization to partner with Verified Volunteers and support the standardization and compliant sharing of volunteer background checks. Points of Light, the world’s largest organization dedicated to volunteer service, announced its strategic partnership with Verified Volunteers in late 2013. Verified Volunteers is working with nonprofits and volunteers in 50 states and is partnered closely with many of Points of Light’s HandsOn Network volunteer action centers around the country.
About Verified Volunteers
Verified Volunteers is the only background check platform tailored to the specific needs of the service sector and the first online community to mobilize repeat, vetted volunteers. Our Volunteer Fast-Pass propels nonprofit organizations by empowering volunteers to take greater ownership of costly, time-consuming screening processes. Verified Volunteers is backed by SterlingBackcheck, one of the world’s largest background screening companies, and partnered with Points of Light, the world's largest organization dedicated to volunteer service. Visit our website at verifiedvolunteers.com or engage with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or Google Plus to learn more.
About Meals On Wheels Association of America
The Meals On Wheels Association of America is the only national organization and network dedicated solely to ending senior hunger in America. The Association is the oldest and largest organization composed of and representing local, community-based Senior Nutrition Programs in all 50 states and U.S. territories. More than 5,000 local Meals On Wheels Programs leverage a dedicated army of two million volunteers who day-in and day-out create an efficient and caring way to help America’s seniors stay independent, healthy and able to live in their own homes. For more information, or to locate a local Meals On Wheels program, visit mowaa.org.
Kate Finley, Belle Communications, http://www.thinkbelle.com, +1 (614) 304-1463, [email protected]
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