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April 10, 2026
Dear Volunteers,
It’s National Volunteer Week, an opportunity to recognize and celebrate the tremendous contributions of the hundreds of community members who have dedicated their time and talents to sustain our public service mission over the past year. On behalf of everyone at OPB and KMHD, it is my privilege to extend our sincere gratitude for your incredible generosity.
I’ve been OPB’s Senior VP of Programming & Audience Engagement since 2022, and before that I served in previous roles in Programming and Development. These days, my team is responsible for expanding the reach and impact of OPB’s journalism and storytelling, and reflecting audience response back to our teams. Over the past decade, I have had the opportunity to connect and work with many of you personally, so I know firsthand the extraordinary talent and dedication of our volunteer staff.
As you know, the last year has been a bit of a rollercoaster for OPB and KMHD after Congress voted to end federal funding for public media. But this notable challenge prompted an amazing response from the community. We have been deeply moved by the outpouring of support from community members like you.
Not only have community members united to help fill the significant financial gap left by the loss of federal funding, but also we have seen a marked increase in volunteer engagement as illustrated by a 20% increase over last year in the number of volunteers participating, a 8% increase in hours served, and a 33% increase in new volunteer interest. You have stepped up in a huge way to extend our capacity to fulfill our public service mission. Thanks to you, we are experiencing abundance instead of scarcity.
OPB has three guiding pillars for our work: Leading the Conversation by expanding our journalism to better serve the people of this region; Digital innovation to bring our stories to wherever our audiences are; and Community Connections, developing relationships and unique experiences rooted in our content and this region. As a volunteer, you support all of these pillars.
This past year, 270 volunteers have served about 9,400 hours to further our mission. Every hour you have spent moderating social media comments, entering data and executing other administrative tasks, editing transcripts for accuracy and accessibility, and connecting with community members on the phone or in person have added up to a truly bountiful contribution that we, in turn, extend to the community. This work would not have been accomplished and shared with the community without you. You make all the difference.
Despite the challenges, we remain wholly focused on sharing essential news and information, offering uplifting and enriching programming and storytelling, and connecting communities across our region. Thank you for making it possible.
With gratitude,
Lisa Garcia Grace
Senior VP of Programming & Audience Engagement
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