Get Connected
Get Connected

About Us

About Connections Volunteer Center

Founded in 1996, Connections coordinates the referral and placement of volunteers for more than 60 different agencies who offer hundreds of ongoing and special event opportunities. Over its 25-year history, Connections has matched more than 19,000 volunteers and invested more than $8+ million dollars back into Delaware County. A community program of HelpLine, Connections core services are funded by SourcePoint, HelpLine, in-kind donations and sponsorships. 

Our Milestones

  • Partnered with 60+ nonprofits throughout Delaware County to host results-driven service and special event support.
  • Matched 19,242 volunteers to meaningful service opportunities and causes.
  • Earned national awards in 2015 and 2018 for Make A Difference Delaware County (formerly Make A Difference Day) by then sponsors USA Today and Tegna.
  • Trained an average of 250 social workers, clinicians, counselors and community members each year.
  • Invested $8+ million into the Delaware County community.
  • Launched Get Connected in 2021, an online volunteer management platform that unites community nonprofits in a single hub to recruit volunteers and share agency needs.

Our Vision

A thriving community where members experience hope, help and healing.

Our Mission

To strengthen emotional health and wellness for members of our community.

Our Core Values & Staff

  • Fostering Connections – We meet people where they are and connect them to the resources they need, when they need them.
  • Respecting and Reflecting All – We cultivate an inclusive culture that honors diversity and promotes equity, and we believe our staff, board and volunteers should reflect our communities.
  • Power of Education – We are dedicated to continuous learning and development, and we use the latest knowledge and research in how we serve.
  • Supporting Volunteerism – We promote volunteerism as a way to improve health, build connections and strengthen the communities we serve.
  • Serving by Empowering – We believe that every person has an inner strength to determine their own healthy future.
  • Trusted Agency and Community Leaders – We hold ourselves to high standards and we promise to maintain relationships built on trust, defined by accountability and measure by excellence.

Connections is managed by a compassionate team of community navigators, dedicated to helping you find a cause to connect to or fulfill an area of personal or professional development. Learn more about our team below:

Suzanne Pingry

Program Director & Senior Companion Site Manager

Taylor Loos-Little

Community Engagement Coordinator - Volunteer Resources

Elaine Miller

Community Engagement Coordinator –
Older Adults 55+

Board of Directors

The HelpLine Board of Directors is made up of a diverse, multi-skilled group of community and civic leaders, elected to a three-year term. Members are dedicated and committed to fulfilling the vision of transforming lives through hope, help and healing. The Board serves as the guiding body and is responsible for activities including fundraising, policy making, strategic planning, and general oversight of agency operations, relying on the Executive Director to manage the day-to-day operations and administer its policies.

The Board meets the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 6:30 p.m. – 8 p.m. (except December, April and July). There is an expectation of regular attendance and to be active in a committee. There are a variety of committees to choose from based on interest and time availability. Currently, the Board consists of the following members:

Chair, Teri Meider

Community Member, Retired from Delaware Area Career Center (DACC), Adult Education Instructor, DACC

Vice Chair, Barb Lyon

Chief Development Officer, Ohio Living Foundation

Treasurer, Kelly Stevens

Executive Director Corporate Finance, JPMorgan Chase

Secretary, Gordon Gatien

Director External Relations, Ohio Public Employee Retirement System (OPERS)

Mitchell Briant

Executive Director, Dublin Youth Athletics

Leana Froelich-Terry

Director of Counseling Services, Ohio Wesleyan University

Allison Fish

Legal Nurse Consultant, Leeseberg Tuttle

Christi Jacobs

Human Resource Manager, Richwood Bank

Adam Moore

Chief, Delaware City Police Department

Jane Martin

Community Member

Tim Steitz

Executive Director Corporate Finance, JPMorgan Chase

If you are interested in serving as a board member, please contact Executive Director Jason Bridges, jbridges@helplinedelmor.org

Careers

We’re looking for change-makers and do-gooders.

Join our team at HelpLine to transform lives and reshape what hope, healing and help look like in our communities. We invite you to bring your bold personality, brilliant ideas and beautiful hearts as we work to make a difference.  Visit the HelpLine Careers page here for view below for current career openings and internship opportunities. 

Development Director 

Hotline Specialist