Organizing for America | Mary Hough's blog: “A Turning Point in My Life”: OFA Summer Organizer Program

What are you doing this summer? Organizing for America is recruiting talented folks who want to make a difference in their community to take part in our Summer Organizer Program.

Folks like Lauren Coffee, who is now a regional field director (RFD) in Dallas, Texas.

Q. Why did you apply to be a summer organizer?
A. Like many other people, upon graduation from college I was unable to find a job in my chosen career field, so I took what I could find with the intention of continuing to look for something that would be fulfilling.  Opportunity came to me through a link on Facebook, of all things. I saw that Organizing for America was looking for summer organizers, and remembering how inspired I felt during the President’s 2008 campaign, I took a chance and applied.

Q. What did you do as a summer organizer?
A. Over the next few months I learned to recruit volunteers, held trainings and informational sessions, and helped lead the efforts to reform health care.

The experience I gained as a summer organizer--learning messaging techniques, being trained on all the different ways we recruit volunteers, and most of all being able to observe my former RFD and ask questions--was invaluable to the work I do now.

Q. What do you do now?
A. I now work for Organizing for America in Dallas, Texas, as an RFD. It’s my responsibility to recruit new volunteer leadership in the community, make sure our volunteers are trained and informed on the President’s initiatives, and hold events in the community that educate and reactivate the President’s supporters.

Q. Would you recommend the program to others?
A. I can honestly look back at the decision to fill out the summer organizer application as a turning point in my life.  The experience didn’t just teach me the skills I needed to become an RFD—it taught me skills that will benefit me in all times of life, and I gained friendships and mentors that I treasure.  I would strongly recommend that anyone who has the chance take this opportunity and run with it.

Join folks like Lauren this summer and apply to join the Summer Organizer Program – it may just change your life.

via my.barackobama.com

Posted via email from Brian's posterous