Alisa Kesten stepped down today as executive director of Volunteer New York!, a nonprofit based in Tarrytown. She had been with the organization for 15 years, initially as a volunteer on its board of directors, board chair and then assuming the role of executive director in January 2010.
The organization brings together individual volunteers and those from business with organizations needing volunteer help. Volunteer New York! reports that in 2019 it inspired more than 26,000 volunteers who helped contribute more than 275,000 hours of service to 500 local nonprofits at a value of over $8.7 million to the community.
Kesten will be succeeded by Jeanette Gisbert, who was recruited from within the organization.
“I think the board very wisely saw in Jeanette an opportunity to have someone who knew the organization, knew the community very well,” Kesten told the Business Journal. “My announcement was made last fall that I would be stepping down.” She said that Gisbert officially starts as executive director on July 6.
“I think that what I”™m most proud of are the people who have grown up in leadership positions at various levels while I”™ve been executive director and have gone on and are now leading with such strong purpose at other organizations,” Kesten said.
“I”™m very proud that we have been able to expand our brand and communicate more widely to an audience that really does understand that we greatly value community and volunteers and that we really do believe that everyone can serve.”
In addition to her work with Volunteer New York!, Kesten has been active with other groups including, the New Rochelle Public Library Foundation, Nonprofit Westchester, The Giving Circle of Lower Westchester and the Westchester Women”™s Agenda.
Kesten said traumatic events such as superstorm Sandy, the COVID-19 pandemic and the current fight to eradicate systemic racism can impact communities “and yet here we are tightly knitted together because we have a unique organization like Volunteer New York! Really helping people connect through service to others, who know each other, who are willing to listen to each other just a little bit more maybe than in other places and we come out of storms on the other side stronger as a result.”
Kesten said that in the COVID-19 pandemic many people have had an impulse to help others.
“What is challenging, of course, is the need for social distancing, so there have been many more virtual opportunities, many more creative ways to continue helping one another, because the needs, if anything, have only grown in areas such as hunger, homelessness, in the unequal delivering of educational opportunities.
“People are vulnerable in their homes and in their communities. So, Volunteer New York! swiftly went completely virtual and created a virtual volunteer center. Right now, it”™s filled with opportunities that are directly supportive of those who are impacted by the virus but we”™ve done this in the past whenever there”™s been a need to lift up and focus on a particular area.”
Kesten said that Volunteer New York! serves as a central place so that people don”™t have to search to find where the needs are.
“We get those needs directly from nonprofits and governments,” Kesten said. She pointed out that Volunteer New York! found resources for small businesses needing help applying for government aid being offered to help offset the economic impact of COVID-19.
“This community has come together and used volunteerism in a way that may be virtual, you may not be able to physically touch, but it has really made a difference and you”™re going to have to see that continue because this isn”™t going away anytime soon. We”™re going to have to continue pressing forward because community is not on hold and volunteering for community cannot be on hold,” Kesten said.
