The Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry and St. Patrick – St. Anthony Church welcome Allison Holst-Grubbe as the new Director of Outreach / Volunteer Ministry.
Allison is a familiar face to parishioners of St. Patrick – St. Anthony, and many know her in her role as cantor at all Masses. But what you might not know is that Allison has extensive experience in non-profit volunteer and program management.
The Search Committee concluded that Allison’s more than 10 years of volunteer management experience, along with her great passion for engaging with volunteers, her compassion for helping others, her skills in building relationships, and her knowledge of our community at St. Patrick – St. Anthony Church made her the most qualified to take on this role and grow our impact in the Hartford area.
In her most recent role, she served as Director of School Programs for Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters, where she worked with school, community, and corporate partners to develop and oversee school-based mentoring programs, including workplace mentoring, after-school programs, and a new e-mentoring initiative. She has implemented the addition of new program sites, helped to implement programs, and selected and supervised multiple locations, staff, and volunteers.
She has worked to recruit, screen, train, and match hundreds of volunteers in programs with AmeriCorps, Everybody Wins! CT, and Nutmeg Big Brothers Big Sisters. Allison has served as outreach coordinator and liaison for partner organizations, recruiting, mentoring and supervising staff and volunteers, and maintaining volunteer records.
Allison has experience working directly with students with disabilities through the West Hartford Public Schools, and has years of volunteer service with several local organizations.
Allison looks forward to working with our large network of volunteers, and helping new volunteers discern where their gifts and talents might best be shared throughout our extensive ministries here at the Church and the Center.
Allison received a Bachelor of Music degree in Music Education and Voice Performance from Ithaca College in 2005, and is currently pursuing an MA in Interreligious Studies and Cooperative Master of Divinity program from Hartford International University for Religion and Peace. She was awarded the 2020 William Thompson Prize for scripture study.
Allison and her husband Paige were married at SPSA in 2018, and welcomed their son George in 2020.
The role of the Director of Outreach / Volunteer Ministry is integral to the mission of the Franciscan Center and the Church and supports our collective mission in building partnerships with organizations in the Hartford area, and engaging and supporting volunteers both within our over 50 ministries and to grow our impact on the greater community through outreach volunteer opportunities.
St. Patrick – St. Anthony Church and the Franciscan Center for Urban Ministry have a history of extending Franciscan hospitality both at the Eucharistic Table and to a diverse population of the marginalized and the poor in the Greater Hartford community. The generous and enthusiastic support of a large network of volunteers who partner to share their time and talents to minister to others helps us to build our thriving ministry.
Join us as we welcome Allison to the team!
Allison can be reached at [email protected].