Volunteer Guidelines

Thank you for being willing to serve.

Love INC helps connect willing people with needs in our community. A need may involve a neighbor, church, nonprofit, community organization, business, disaster response, or another community situation.

Unless we specifically tell you otherwise, Love INC's role is to help make the connection. You decide whether you want to help and whether what is being requested is something you can safely and reasonably do.

Use Good Judgment

Please only do work you believe you can safely and competently perform.

Do not take on work that requires a professional license, specialized training, or skills you do not have.

Use tools, ladders, vehicles, equipment, and appropriate safety equipment responsibly.

If driving is part of the help you provide, you are responsible for having a valid driver's license, appropriate vehicle insurance, and safely operating your vehicle.

If you arrive and find that the situation, property, requested work, equipment, or other circumstances are substantially different from what was discussed—or something appears unsafe—please stop and call Love INC at 463-277-3553 before continuing.

If there is an emergency, call 911 first when appropriate, and then call Love INC at 463-277-3553.

Respect Privacy and Boundaries

Please treat everyone involved with dignity and respect.

Keep personal information you learn while helping private. Do not unnecessarily share someone's circumstances, address, contact information, or other personal information.

Please do not photograph, record, or post information about the people or situation on social media unless appropriate permission has been documented.

Use good judgment in your relationships with the people you meet while helping. The purpose of the connection is to address the need that was discussed.

Protecting Your Personal Contact Information

You do not have to give someone your personal phone number or email address in order to help.

If you are comfortable communicating directly from your personal phone or email, you are welcome to do so. Please understand that when you call, text, or email someone from a personal account, your contact information may become visible to that person.

If you would rather keep your personal contact information private, just let us know. There are other ways we can help you communicate.

Depending on the situation, you may choose to:

• use an appropriate church phone number, with your church's permission;

• come to Love INC and use our Volunteer Line;

• or ask Love INC to help make the initial connection by phone using our Volunteer Line at 463-277-3553, including setting up a conference call when appropriate.

Our goal is to make it possible for you to communicate with the person or organization you are helping without requiring you to share your personal contact information.

Love INC will not intentionally give your personal phone number or email address to another person without your permission.

Once you are comfortable communicating directly, you and the other person may decide how you would like to stay in touch and coordinate the help. Love INC does not need to remain involved in routine scheduling or communication unless you would like our help or a concern arises.

Personal Purchases and Expenses

You are free to purchase reasonable groceries, supplies, materials, or other items with your own money if you personally choose to do so.

Please do not make loans, enter into financial agreements, or make commitments on behalf of Love INC.

Please also do not tell someone that Love INC will pay for an item, service, repair, or expense unless Love INC has specifically approved it.

Love INC will reimburse an expense only when reimbursement has been approved by Love INC in advance.

Helping Is Your Choice

Your help is voluntary and unpaid.

You are always free to decline a need that does not feel right for you.

Talking with Love INC about a need does not commit you to help.

Even after learning more about a situation, you may decide that the need is not a good fit for you. Please let us know if that happens so we can determine whether another option may be available.

Understanding the Risks

Volunteer activities can involve ordinary risks depending on the type of help being provided.

These may include things such as:

• driving or traveling;

• lifting or moving items;

• using tools or equipment;

• climbing steps or ladders;

• working indoors or outdoors;

• entering another person's home or property;

• working around animals;

• weather conditions;

• interacting with other people;

• or other circumstances related to the particular need.

Love INC will make reasonable efforts to share information we know about that could materially affect your decision to help or your safety.

However, Love INC cannot guarantee that every condition or circumstance will be known in advance.

If something is materially different from what was discussed or you become uncomfortable with the situation, please stop and call 463-277-3553.

Love INC's Role

Unless Love INC specifically tells you otherwise for a particular situation, Love INC is facilitating the connection.

Love INC does not direct or continuously supervise the work you choose to perform.

Love INC does not guarantee:

• the condition of a home, property, vehicle, equipment, or work area;

• the actions or behavior of another person;

• that every requested task can or should be completed;

• or the outcome or quality of work voluntarily provided.

If questions, concerns, misunderstandings, or safety issues arise, please contact Love INC rather than feeling that you must resolve the situation on your own.

When You Choose to Help

When you choose “I can help” on a Love INC Volunteer Opportunity form, you are confirming that you have read these Volunteer Guidelines and agree to follow them.

You understand that your decision to help is voluntary.

You understand that volunteer activities may involve risks of injury, illness, property damage, financial loss, or other harm depending on the activity, and you accept the ordinary risks reasonably associated with the help you choose to provide.

You agree to perform only work that you reasonably believe you can safely and competently perform.

If conditions appear unsafe or are materially different from what was discussed, you agree to stop and contact Love INC at 463-277-3553 before continuing.

Unless Love INC expressly tells you otherwise, you understand that Love INC's role is to facilitate the connection rather than direct or continuously supervise the work.

To the fullest extent permitted by law, you agree that Love INC of Shelby County and its directors, officers, employees, agents, and representatives will not be responsible for claims, losses, damages, costs, or expenses arising from the ordinary risks of your voluntary participation, except to the extent that responsibility cannot legally be waived.

By choosing to help, you agree to follow these Volunteer Guidelines.

Questions or Concerns

If you have a question about a volunteer opportunity, encounter something unexpected, or need help deciding how to handle a situation, please call the Love INC Volunteer Line:

463-277-3553

If there is an emergency, call 911 first when appropriate.