Isn’t it frustrating when you walk into a store or business and you have absolutely no idea how to find your way around and nobody is available to assist you? Well, we certainly do not want that to happen at the Marin Humane Society.
With so many people coming to MHS for a wide variety of reasons, the staff felt it would be a great asset to have volunteers in the lobby area of the main shelter to welcome the public, direct them to where they needed to go and answer any questions they may have. Thus the Shelter Greeter volunteer position was born about five years ago.
There are currently seven Shelter Greeters. They volunteer for a two to three hour shift in either the morning or afternoon. There is even a Greeter who comes in twice a week.
What does a Shelter Greeter do? The main goal of the Shelter Greeter is to make the public feel seen and welcomed as they enter our shelter. The Shelter Greeters have overall knowledge of the different departments at MHS as well as where different people or programs are located. Whether someone comes in to renew their dog license, enroll in a Behavior & Training class, find their lost animal or drop off donations, our Shelter Greeters know exactly where to direct them.
In addition to providing exemplary customer service, our Greeters do some light tasks at the adoption desk — filing applications, providing potential adopters with applications, directing people to the cat/dog/small companion animal areas, showing people how to read the adoption profiles, and assisting with answering the phones. Most importantly, every one of our Shelter Greeters LOVE what they do and greet everyone who enters with a smile and a warm welcome!
When asked “What do you enjoy about being a Shelter Greeter at the Marin Humane Society?” here’s what a few of them had to say:
As far as I can tell, greeting is the best gig at MHS! We see the whole spectrum of this amazing organizations’ service: Adoptions, chip requests, creatures coming in needing new homes, folks who need to say goodbye to their beloved pets, etc. I so love it! ~ Jennifer Lillard
I’ve been retired for 18 months and believe it or not, volunteering was high on my list of things to do. I love animals and people…so it’s a melding of both. I’ve also made great new friends at MHS and that’s a plus in retirement. And the kids! Their smiles when they see an animal and how their eyes light up. It’s just pure joy! ~ Lynne Brown
Being a greeter allows me to welcome everyone that comes through the shelter doors. Whether they are looking for a new family “member,” making a donation or just coming to visit the animals, it is wonderful to be a part of their MHS experience. ~ Laura Blumenfeld
With deep gratitude for their time, warm smiles, outstanding customer service and overall good cheer, we salute our wonderful group of Shelter Greeters!
By Ruthie Tolleson, Adoption Supervisor
