Showing your volunteers how much you appreciate them and their help is a great way to keep them coming back project after project, year after year.  This appreciation doesn’t have to be a grand gesture. It also doesn’t have to require a large budget. You can give your volunteers thank you cards, small gift bags, or host a volunteer appreciation event once a year at your school.

In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month, here are a few different ways you can show your volunteers how much you appreciate all of their hard work:

1. Some volunteers love to be recognized for their hard work.  Giving a certificate to your volunteers will make them feel like volunteering is a worthwhile achievement.
2. Hold a Volunteer Appreciation luncheon. It can be catered, or it can be a potluck. The possibilities are endless!
3. For a possibly more inexpensive option, serve just desserts and sweet treats such as cupcakes, cake, donuts, or build-your-own sundaes.
4. Thank you notes – either handwritten, homemade, or store-bought – can go a long way. A simple touch to thank those who dedicate their time to your school.
5. Breakfast bars are a great way to show appreciation to volunteers as they drop off their children or if many volunteers come to volunteer in the mornings.
6. Put together a small gift bag full of goodies and treats to show how much each volunteer means to you and your school.
7. Have a holiday or Thanksgiving celebration to give your volunteer appreciation event a seamless theme.
8. Look through Pinterest to get inspiration for more creative ways to show your volunteers that you appreciate them!

Have any of your own ideas? Share them with us on Facebook or Twitter @sdpFACE using the #VolunteerAppreciationMonth and #ThankAVolunteer!