Designing High-Impact Episodic Volunteer Experiences: How to Build One-Time Event Roles That Volunteers Love

Description: Volunteers want meaningful, time-bound opportunities that fit into busy schedules—and organizations want reliable, well-prepared volunteers who can plug in quickly. At Second Harvest Heartland, we support hundreds of volunteers each year across major one-time events. These events rely on episodic volunteers to provide hospitality, logistics support, guest engagement, and technical assistance. This session will share a practical, repeatable framework for designing, recruiting, training, and appreciating episodic volunteers for one-time events. Using real examples from large events, attendees will walk away with strategies they can immediately implement, regardless of event size or resources.

Bio: Bri Quarfoot is a Senior Volunteer Engagement Specialist with six years of nonprofit experience and a focus on volunteer engagement since 2022. When she joined Second Harvest Heartland, event volunteering had been on a long pause due to COVID, and she led the work of rebuilding the event volunteer base from the ground up. Through experimentation, iteration, and close listening to volunteer needs, Bri redesigned the organization’s approach to one-time event volunteer engagement and created a streamlined, adaptable process now used across multiple large events. She specializes in making episodic volunteer roles clear, accessible, and meaningful—ensuring every individual understands how their contribution directly connects to the mission. Bri is passionate about helping volunteers see the impact of their service and fostering experiences that strengthen their connection to the community.