In honor of International Volunteer Managers Day on Wednesday, November 5, we sat down with Jennifer St. Peter, Community Relations Volunteer Specialist at Rhode Island Blood Center (RIBC), to learn more about her career journey and passion for volunteerism.
Background & Experience
Q: How long have you been with Rhode Island Blood Center, and what first brought you here?
A: I started at Rhode Island Blood Center in the fall of 2008, working in our marrow and stem cell donor program as an Account Manager. I started volunteering with this program at RIBC during that summer. I volunteered for 10 years with the National Marrow Donor Program when I lived in Vermont and had found the program at RIBC when looking for ways to continue volunteering after moving here in 2007.
Q: How long have you been in your current role as Community Relations Volunteer Specialist?
A: I’ve been in this role since January 2022.
Q: What inspired you to work in volunteer management?
A: During my career in marrow and stem cell community engagement I worked with many volunteers and always enjoyed it. I love working with community members. Seeing their passion and dedication to causes important to them is so inspiring.
Q: Can you share a bit about your career path before joining RIBC?
A: I grew up in a small, rural Vermont town. I went to Champlain College in Burlington, VT and graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Communications. After college, I worked as a promotions and sales assistant for a radio station. I met my husband while working there—he was a DJ on the country station and the reason we later moved to Rhode Island, where he took a job at a Providence station in 2007. Between my time in radio and our move to RI, I spent three years at an affordable senior housing nonprofit as an Executive Assistant and Community Engagement Specialist. I loved every minute and learned so much from the seniors in our communities.
Role & Responsibilities
Q: What does a typical day look like for you as a Volunteer Specialist?
A: The day starts with checking emails then on to reading volunteer mission reports (hours reporting in our volunteer management system) from the volunteers scheduled the previous day and checking in our volunteer chat app. After that, I’m creating the weekly schedules for our volunteers. I also cover community relations, work with our Donor Engagement and Donor Recruitment teams on initiatives and promotions, and create all the publicity items (poster, flyers, etc.) for our blood drives. Sometimes I’m out in the community at an event sharing information about blood donation, volunteer and career opportunities, or networking with other community organizations. I’m also working with the administrative volunteers to make sure they have all they need to support their tasks.
Q: What types of volunteer opportunities are available at RIBC?
A: We have three main volunteer roles. Our drivers pick up boxed blood donations from blood drives and donor centers. Our café hosts assist in post-donation areas, offering snacks, monitoring donors for reactions, chatting with them, and ensuring everyone leaves with a smile and a positive donation experience. We also have administrative volunteers in our Providence office who assist with mailings, printing, and prepping incentive items for distribution. We currently have 85 volunteers.
Q: How do volunteers help support RIBC’s mission and impact the community?
A: They help in so many ways! Our volunteer drivers are a critical part of making sure that blood is delivered to the lab in a timely fashion. This year, volunteer drivers have transported over 6,600 donated units from drives and centers to the lab and have driven over 41,000 miles doing so. Our café hosts are the warm, welcoming heart of the donation experience. They help calm nervous donors, provide post-donation snacks, and monitor donors’ well-being in the café area—all with a smile and excellent customer service. Our administrative volunteers are equally essential, taking on major projects like folding and sorting t-shirts for drives, printing and mailing weekly blood drive postcards, preparing publicity materials for account managers (around 40,000 pieces each quarter), and sending thank-you cards to first-time donors. Our office truly couldn’t function without them.
Personal Reflections
Q: What do you enjoy most about working with volunteers?
A: What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Q: Is there a volunteer moment or story that’s especially meaningful to you?
A: After 9/11, I went to a blood drive in Burlington, VT. It was the day after the attacks—so much was still unknown—but there was a line around Patrick Gym at University of Vermont that stretched across the campus Quad, filled with people from all over the community wanting to help in any way they could. While I was donating, I noticed a young man across from me who was visibly anxious. He admitted he was terrified of needles but was determined to donate. A volunteer approached him, knelt beside his chair, took his hand, and spoke quietly. I couldn’t hear what was said, but the donor visibly relaxed and completed his donation while the volunteer stayed by his side. When it was over, the volunteer smiled and said, “I’m so proud of you.” They hugged, and the volunteer walked him to the café area. Even now, I get emotional remembering that moment—it showed me how deeply a volunteer’s compassion can touch someone’s life. I’ll never forget it.
Inspiration & Impact
Q: How do you keep volunteers engaged and motivated?
A: We have a chat feature on our volunteer management app that has been fantastic for building community among volunteers. The mission reports they complete at the end of each shift also include a space to share feedback, ideas, and suggestions. This has led to meaningful improvements and allows us to hear about issues or opportunities we might not notice as staff.
Q: How do you celebrate or recognize volunteers for their contributions?
A: We have an annual appreciation lunch in April and I’m able to give out digital badges through the volunteer management app, which is a fun way to recognize different milestones and achievements.