Portal, community displays, and Volunteer Fair strengthen volunteer connections across Elgin County
Elgin County, ON — April 1, 2026
Volunteer Elgin is marking National Volunteer Week (April 19-25) with an expanded series of activities designed to connect residents with volunteer opportunities across Elgin County. Building on the success of its inaugural event, Volunteer Elgin will host its second annual Volunteer Fair on Saturday, April 25 from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm at the St. Thomas Public Library, alongside expanded outreach across the county with information displays in Aylmer and Dutton from April 20–24.
The Volunteer Fair will bring together a wide range of community organizations looking to recruit volunteers and share information about their programs. Residents will have the opportunity to learn about volunteer opportunities, meet representatives from local organizations, and discover ways to contribute to causes they care about.
Since relaunching in 2024, Volunteer Elgin has focused on strengthening the infrastructure that helps local organizations recruit and engage volunteers. A key milestone—supported by funding from the Elgin St. Thomas Community Foundation—was the launch of the Volunteer Elgin online volunteer opportunity portal volunteerelgin.org in late 2024. The platform allows residents to search and apply for volunteer opportunities with organizations across the county and has already drawn interest from other municipalities and volunteer agencies exploring similar approaches across the region.
Volunteer Elgin has also recently joined Volunteer Canada, connecting the organization to a national network that supports volunteer centres and promotes volunteerism across the country. “Across Canada, many organizations are still rebuilding their volunteer base following the pandemic,” said Carolyn Johnson, Chair of Volunteer Elgin and Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters St. Thomas-Elgin. “What we’re hearing from community groups across Elgin County is that the need for volunteers has never gone away — but connecting people with the right opportunities has become more challenging. Volunteer Elgin’s online portal is helping bridge that gap by giving residents one place to discover meaningful ways to contribute and by helping organizations reach volunteers more effectively.”
Volunteer Elgin works with community organizations across the county to strengthen volunteer recruitment, coordination, and engagement. Through its website and volunteer opportunity portal, the organization provides a centralized place where residents can explore ways to contribute their time and skills to local causes.
“After retiring to Port Stanley, I began looking for a meaningful way to give back using the skills I had developed in my communications career,” said Catherine Harrison, a volunteer leader with Volunteer Elgin. “When I discovered Volunteer Elgin, I immediately saw the potential of a strong county-wide volunteer centre. When communities make it easier for people to find ways to contribute, it strengthens every organization and every neighbourhood.”
This year, Volunteer Elgin is expanding its reach across the county through Volunteer Week information displays in Aylmer and Dutton, bringing local volunteer opportunities into more communities and reinforcing its role as a county-wide volunteer hub. Volunteer Elgin representatives will be on site Friday, April 24 to answer questions and connect with residents interested in getting involved.
Residents interested in volunteering can explore current opportunities through the Volunteer Elgin volunteer portal at: www.volunteerelgin.org
Community organizations interested in participating in the Volunteer Elgin Volunteer Fair or learning more about Volunteer Elgin membership can find additional information on the website or by email to info@volunteerelgin.org.
Media Contact
Catherine Harrison
Volunteer Elgin
catherine@volunteerelgin.org
www.volunteerelgin.org
