Happy New Year From HelpTime

As 2012 comes to a close, we here at HelpTime would like to say thank you for allowing us to be part of your volunteer activities.  HelpTime has supported thousands of volunteers making it easy to share needs and sign up with our custom event sign up sheets.

Tell us what you think - our goal for 2013 is to add features that will be the most helpful to you and your volunteers.  Below are some of the suggestions we have received through out 2012 (they are on no particular order).  Which ones do you think are most important?

1. Send an email alert to event administrator when someone withdraws from an event task (one email per day that shows every volunteer withdrawal)
2. Add a discussion feature for each event (allows all volunteers to discuss event details both before and after the event)
3. Change when reminder emails are sent out (currently one day before, allow the time to be set by each event)
4. Create an iPhone and Android Phone App
5. Modify the event finder to enable searching for events in a geographic area or events for a specific organization
6. Ability for volunteers to enter comments on the task that they have volunteered for
7. Allow creation of recurring volunteering activities (not just for a single event)
8. Add features to allow volunteers to enter their interests and receive information from volunteer based organizations that match their interests.
9. Create a public user discussion forum for all users to share volunteer ideas and lessons.
10. Other - If there is something else just let us know
    

We will work on implementing those features that we get the greatest response for, so please, reply and let us know that features you would like to see added.

Thank you, Happy Volunteering and have a Happy New Year.

Help a Fellow Human Being Today

Help a Fellow Human Being Today

Love. Simply finding ways to express your love to others, whether it be your partner, child, other family member, friend, co-worker, or a complete stranger … just express your love. A hug, a kind word, spending time, showing little kindnesses, being friendly … it all matters more than you know.

Email Reminders for Volunteer Tasks

Today HelpTime has implemented new functionality regarding email reminders for volunteer tasks.

By default, users will receive email notifications for tasks they are assigned to. A volunteer can maintain their default setting by checking or unchecking the email reminder notification on any event

HelpTime Highlights - March 2012

HelpTime Highlights – March 2012 Free Online Event Management Site Makes Coordinating Volunteers Easy!
News Update: As the number of volunteers continues to grow, HelpTime has been busy working on several exciting enhancements. We are nearing 1,500 members that support their causes with the aid of the free HelpTime tool. Over 250 events across the US and in the UK are finding it easier to manage their volunteer activities. Our major recent enhancement was an update to the steps used in creating an event. Now when you create an event, just follow the workflow with “Back” and “Next” buttons to populate a few simple screens and you have created your volunteer signup form. It’s that easy, and it is still as easy as click to signup for your volunteers! HelpTips … A New way of viewing and sharing your event sign up page A new addition to HelpTime is the ability to view your sign up page from any event maintenance screen.. At any time you can select view to see your current signup page .  HelpTime can send signup requests for you from the communicate tab, but if you decide to share the your signup page on your own, just press the scissor to copy the link to your signup page. You can paste it in you own email, website or social network. HelpTime.com Recent enhancements: Creating an event now follows a simple workflow where you use the “NEXT” and “BACK” button to walk through a few screens that create and share your event sign up form. The sign on page and registration page have been placed together making it easier for new members to register. Event Administrators can now assign volunteers to tasks directly from the event signup page. This is done with the “Switch to Admin View” button – this is visible only to the event administrators. The events shown on the event finder screen are now sorted with the most recent to end event at the top of the list When creating or updating an event, you can view the signup form from any tab with the “view” selection at the top right event tab. – You can also use the scissor to copy a link to the sign up page and share it on your own.	Share HelpTime with others! Anyone can create a free event, just click here to get started HelpTime is proud to have partnered with to provide unique and personalized items for your event. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter and keep up with the latest HelpTime updates
We welcome your questions and suggestions Just reply to this email or send to [email protected]

HelpTime idea for today - Offer to babysit

HelpTime idea for today

Offer to babysit. Sometimes parents need a break. If a friend or other loved one in your life doesn’t get that chance very often, call them and offer to babysit sometime. Set up an appointment. It can make a big difference.

HelpTime idea for today - Lend your voice

HelpTime idea for today

Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them. You don’t have to take on that cause by yourself, but join others in signing a petition, speaking up a a council meeting, writing letters, and otherwise making a need heard.

How to assign volunteers to tasks

Ideally you would like people to sign up for tasks on their own, but sometimes they just tell you that they will help and do some task.  In that case you can assign them to a task.

With your volunteers and tasks already created - you go to the sign up page.  As an event administrator you will see a button "Switch to Admin View".  Selecting this button will make each task maintainable where you can select a volunteer to assign.

HelpTime introduces new Create Event workflow

HelpTime is please to announce that 

today we have rolled out our new 

Create Event workflow.

When you select Create Event you will be walked through a few easy to complete screens

 with the use of Next and Back buttons.

 After your event is created you can always come back and maintain any section with the simple tabs located above your event data.



                                      
In addition, you can now view or copy the event sign up page from the top right of any event maintenance screen.  Select "view" to see the signup screen or select the scissors to copy a link of the signup page so you can post it in your own email, web page or social network

HelpTime idea for today - Create a care package

HelpTime idea for today 

Create a care package. Soup, reading material, tea, chocolate … anything you think the person might need or enjoy. Good for someone who is sick or otherwise in need of a pick-me-up.

Help a Fellow Human Being Today -Smile and be friendly

Help a Fellow Human Being Today

Sometimes a simple little thing like this can put a smile and warm feeling in someone else’s heart, and make their day a little better. They might then do the same for others.

HelpTime Hits one Hundred Likes on Facebook

HelpTime is proud to have reached the 100 "Like" mark on Facebook.  At HelpTime we are trying to make it easier for volunteers and volunteer coordinators.  It is great to see all those people dedicated to helping others.  Visit us at Facebook by clicking the icon below.

Thanks again to everyone and Happy Volunteering!

Thank you to my reading buddy

I've been volunteering to read at a local elementary school. I usually get there before my "reading buddy" but the other day I was a little late and he was waiting for me.  I think he thought I forgot ... the excitement on his face when I got there he saw incredible.  I don't know who felt better him or me. It's amazing how much you get in return by giving just a little of yourself.