Voices of VU: Ellen Reyes, VU Chicago

Ellen Reyes, Executive Director of Volunteering Untapped Chicago

Ahead of our FIRST-EVER event with our sister chapters in Chicago and Baltimore, check out our Q&A with Ellen Reyes, Executive Director of VU Chicago, to learn about how the giving spirit of Volunteering Untapped spread to the Windy City. 

Tell us about VU Chicago. When and why did you decide to launch (or become involved with, not positive if you were part of the founding group) the Chicago chapter?

We decided to launch VU Chicago four years ago during a night hanging out with friends. We were all lamenting about how many volunteering opportunities required training and a consistent schedule, but our jobs were so variable that we couldn’t commit to something regularly. Our friend, Neil Claracay, (now a VU PHL regular, since he’s moved!) previously volunteered with VU in Baltimore and proposed the model to us as something we could start in Chicago. We were instantly excited (but I’ll be honest, I thought these were just some fun, hypothetical conversations). Luckily, we had the spirit in place to actually make the hypothetical a reality. In the next weeks, we started to get things moving, hopped on the phone with Seth (VU Baltimore founder) and the rest is history! My favorite fun fact is that none our original board had any non-profit or event experience—we truly learned on the ground as soon as we started to get our feet wet.

Which Chicago nonprofits/organizations are you partnering with for VU’s first-ever virtual event?

We are partnering with Cardz for Kidz (writing cards to the elderly, but normally, they send cards to kids in hospitals), Heartland Alliance (sewing face masks), My Block My Hood My City (calling the elderly), and the US Census (calling Chicago residents to encourage them to complete the Census). Our community cleanup & chalk the walk will be led by VU Chicago volunteers! It’s a great mix of existing VU Chicago partners and some new organizations we’re excited to work with for the first time.

What are you most looking forward to at the virtual event? 

It’ll be so refreshing to be volunteering again! We unfortunately had to cancel our April event due to COVID-19, so it’s been a while since our gang has been together. I’m also excited to partner with Baltimore & Philadelphia chapters—we’ve never had the opportunity to do this before, due to geographical limitations! The power of technology.

What advice do you have for volunteers looking to give back during COVID-19?

Volunteering feels different during this time, but there’s no shortage of activities you can do from your home. This pandemic is a situation where so many new needs and organizations have come to light—do a little bit of research and see how you can pitch in. The VU Chicago team has also been finding opportunities for our volunteers outside of the May event, so follow our social channels or join our email list if you’re interested in updates. Some of the tasks may feel different (I know we have volunteers who are missing yardwork and manual labor), but even tasks as simple as making a card or phone call go a long way.

For out-of-town members of the VU Crew, where should we go when visiting Chicago? What are your favorite local bars and restaurants?

There are SO MANY. West Loop in general is where it’s at. I’m very biased because it’s my neighborhood, but it’s also home to Restaurant Row. Au Cheval has the best burger in the world, Green Street Smoked Meats has amazing ribs and brisket smoked in-house, and Monteverde makes their own homemade cacio e pepe. Bar-wise, I’m partial to St. Lou’s Assembly and Park & Field—both have amazing patios in the summer. Safe to say I really miss bars & restaurants right now, lol.