Enter Cynthia Aguilar, hired as a volunteer program manager to streamline the process. Her biggest contribution: launching a centralized website that lists all volunteer opportunities, requirements, locations, the days and hours needed and an application form.

One year later, the number of volunteers has grown to more than 24,000 from 14,000. By volunteering 490,000 hours in fiscal 2011, a 100,000-hour increase over the previous year, volunteers have provided the equivalent of nearly $10.5 million to Phoenix.

Even if other cities and school districts cannot afford to hire a volunteer manager, they should tap a person to oversee the process.

Read more http://www.azcentral.com/community/mesa/articles/2012/03/02/20120302opinion-cities-schools-gain-by-tapping-volunteers.html