Vered started working at Leket Israel over a year ago as the replacement of the human resources director while she was on maternity leave. After that, she remained in the organization and was appointed to director of volunteers services and Leket’s computer systems. This position includes: recruitment, retention, and ongoing contact with the volunteers. She is responsible for coordinating the scheduling of volunteer groups to sort produce in Leket Israel’s logistics center in Ra’anana. In addition, she develops and maintains relationships with companies that bring groups to pick fruits and vegetables in the Leket fields and those that participate in the Sandwich Project.
“Before working at Leket Israel, I was an HR director at a production company. When I was looking for a new job, I wanted to find a place where there was some meaning, added value, where, at the end of the day I would feel a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.”
Today, there are nearly 50 thousand volunteers annually, active in Leket’s various projects; night collection of excess cooked meals, sorting of agricultural produce in the Logistics Center, picking fruits and vegetables in the fields and volunteers who assist in Leket’s office.
“Volunteering is intertwined within all of the organization’s activities. Without our devoted volunteers, we would be unable to sustain of all the important projects we run” Vered explains. “That is why, in my position, my purpose is to increase the number of people who volunteer, to heighten the level of satisfaction among the active volunteers and to create an interpersonal and trusting bond between the volunteers and the organization. In addition, I strive to involve more companies in the various projects and to raise awareness and familiarity with Leket Israel within the general population.”
“Volunteers come from all strata of society: school children, college students, companies and the elderly. I am most moved when seeing the mentally disabled volunteers at the Logistics center sorting agricultural produce. The volunteers in this special group, who are used to having others do for them, come to thank me at the end of the day for being given the opportunity to volunteer and to do good for others. That is what it means to work in a place with added value.”
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