Testimonials

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Thoughts from our volunteers:

I’m enjoying my volunteer assignment with the Framingham Parent-Child Home Program. The pre-schoolers and their Moms are so enthusiastic. I'm honored to be welcomed into their homes with books and educational toys. Working with parents to help facilitate their child's readiness for school is very rewarding. Every visit is unique--never a dull moment! - Susan

As our team prepares for our initial meeting with Framingham Court Mediation Services, I want to thank you again for the excellent training and preparation we received from [Cheri and Sharon of SOAR]. In the limited amount of work we've done so far, we have gone back to our training notes as well as commented on some of the bits of wisdom and experience you shared with us that we are already applying.

In addition to the training; the supportive atmosphere, beverages, snacks, and friendly atmosphere all contributed to a great learning experience and our whole team looks forward to putting all of this effort to good use.

Thanks for providing your guidance and sharing your knowledge. - Steve Swech

"Thank you so much for all of the support and attention you gave me as I started on the volunteering path." - Karen H. Pugh

"Since the school year is winding down, today was my last day at McCarthy. I read 2 books to Mary Erardi's class. They all told me about what they'll be doing this summer and we shared a box of munchkins. It was a great morning and, for the first time, I had a chance to get to know all the kids. I'm really going to miss them. Just before I left, a few of them came over and gave me a hug. How rewarding is that?!

Last Friday, Mary said she's noticed a big difference in one little girl I've been working with. This child actually offered to help another girl in the group. She's made so much progress in such a short time. They've all come a long way. Mary said she would like to have me back in the fall. She's a wonderful teacher and so nice to work with. Thanks." - Barbara

"As a volunteer for Partakers, I have received the gifts of friendship, enlightenment, and gratitude. My journey has been and will continue to be an incredible, worthwhile experience." - Susan Ruder

"I am happy to report that Jong-Enn Park is now teaching English in South Korea. Her essay work was excellent. She telephones me regularly to keep in touch with me and my English.

My other pupil, Yuki Mori, from Japan, was a beginner. She worked very hard. She has an excellent memory and improved considerably in her speaking skills. She, too, calls me regularly to keep in touch with the spoken English word.

Both of these pupils were a joy and a delight and made me a very happy tutor. Their's is a great success story." - Sophie Danziger, ESL Tutor

Thoughts from our nonprofit partners:

"I found SOAR 55 extremely professional and knowledgeable. This team of qualified volunteers helped to create a usable road map that can be used repeatedly to any current or future initiatives. I strongly feel these strategic plans will help our department increase awareness of programming and improve delivery of services. Each team member played a significant role in the success of this project and I found the whole experience exciting and productive. The team's dedication and commitment to this project was outstanding."

- Nancy Scammon, Program Director, Newton Parks and Recreation

"Working with SOAR 55 consultants helped me to envision a “bigger picture” for my non-profit. After stumbling for 3 years, not knowing what to do next, my consultants guided me to a workable plan, prioritizing future steps to be taken. I felt they took the time to really understand me, as well as what I hoped to accomplish with my intergenerational program; and because of this attention, their recommendations were thoughtful and solid. I look forward to using their expertise to guide me in building and expanding Sages & Seekers. Thanks you for this generous gift."

- Elly Katz, Founder, Sages & Seekers

"The Board of Directors, Liz and I want to thank you all so much for the honor of being a SOAR client. You have done an amazing job of getting to the very heart of Web of Benefit and forced all of us to rethink our roles and to define the way forward…We will put into practice your suggestions for the Board and its development and also begin to implement your fundraising ideas in conjunction with what Nancy has already planned… We appreciate all the time and great effort you all have put into our report, and we enjoyed working with you as well. We are all better members of the organization because of your effort."

- Johanna Crawford, Executive Director, Web of Benefit, Inc.

"All I can say is Wow!! Your team has done an amazing job of gathering and distilling an incredible amount of information about Newton and other villages. The recommendations you shared with us today will make our job so much easier. I am really delighted with the work the three of you have done. You can rest assured that when we get your written report that it will not be resting comfortably on a shelf but will be our guiding star in helping Newton At Home create a vibrant set of educational, cultural, social, and wellness activities. Thanks for both the written and electronic copies. I look forward to seeing your final report.

Your team and all the other SOAR 55 volunteers that Jan has referred to Newton At Home have been absolutely essential to our success. Thanks."

- Tamara Bliss, President, Newton At Home

"The SOAR 55 consultation was a spectacular process - our organization needed everything that was delivered by the team. The team members were perfect for us - one had business skills and did a great job explaining things to the board and treasurer; another with expertise in fundraising was very realistic and helpful in guiding us. The team coordinator was excellent with group dynamics, encouragement and pulling meetings together. The team was enthusiastic, precise, diplomatic and full of good will. We have already begun to implement their recommendations."

- Joan Kaplan, Artistic Director, Silver Newtones

"We had a concept for a new program and we were batting it around, struggling to put parameters around it. With just 2 of us, it was overwhelming! The SOAR Management Consulting Group brought a lot of clarity to the thought process. They helped us with our somewhat tangled ideas and teased out what we wanted to accomplish and what was realistic.

Although we are a fairly large agency we have limited resources, and so appreciated the level of expertise of each team member. They brought different skills to the table.

One team member helped us with the training; the other gave us very creative ideas for marketing; and the third, an attorney, was able to help with liability issues and brought a legal eye to the documentation. This was a very positive experience. It was interesting to have guidance from profit sector professionals.

We’re well on our way to implementing a valuable community program.”

- Kathy Siemineko, Community Relations, Springwell

"From December 2008 to May 2009, Understanding Our Differences (UOD) worked with a four-person SOAR 55 team led by Lee Murphy on a “landscape review” in preparation for a new strategic plan. The purpose of the project was to gather information-- the candid reflections of its many external stakeholders in particular—about what UOD has been doing well, areas for improvement, and how it should evolve in order to further its mission of increasing disabilities awareness in the Newton school community.

The SOAR 55 team was well-balanced in terms of background and expertise, and was expertly directed by Lee. It did a superb job of quickly assimilating large amounts of background information about UOD in order to be able to conduct thoughtful stakeholder interviews and analyze the responses. The information that the team gathered was exactly what we needed to assess and plan for UOD’s future direction. Although much of it confirmed what we already suspected, it is unlikely that we could have collected this valuable feedback on our own. UOD never doubted the professionalism of the SOAR 55 team. Our confidence in the team was particularly important given that the task involved potentially sensitive interactions with some of UOD’s key stakeholders.

UOD feels fortunate to have been able to tap into the valuable resource offered by SOAR 55 and is now implementing next steps based upon what we learned from the process. Beyond the impressive and useful work produced by the team, UOD’s finances simply would not have allowed it to purchase this level of consulting services on the open market. UOD looks forward to future opportunities to work with SOAR 55.

- Barbara Fain, Board of Directors, Understanding Our Differences