The Power of Leading with Service, Not Just Strategy

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Derin Granados. Read his story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light. 

Derin Granados, vice president of the Changin Your Life Foundation, brings a rare blend of creativity, leadership and heartfelt service to everything he does. Since joining his brother’s nonprofit in 2022, Derin has been a driving force behind its growth and ongoing commitment to communities across Georgia. Whether he’s coordinating large-scale food drives or rallying a team for Toys for Tots, Derin approaches each initiative with care and a deep sense of purpose. 

As VP, Derin wears many hats—from managing logistics and event planning to keeping the volunteer team motivated and mission-aligned. He views himself as an “on-call” community servant, always thinking about how to expand the reach and impact of Changin Your Life’s programs. His leadership ensures that every effort, from mile-adoption cleanups to mentoring initiatives, runs with efficiency and heart. 

Derin also plays a key role in securing resources and streamlining operations so the foundation can keep growing. He estimates that their services have positively impacted over 2,500 people annually, with that number climbing steadily as their team expands its outreach. His passion for logistics and making sure the community receives everything the organization is able to give drives him to constantly improve the systems behind each life-changing initiative.

Through hands-on leadership, tireless energy and an unshakable belief in serving others with dignity, Derin proves that making a difference isn’t just about programs—it’s about people. Read more of his inspiring story below. 

Tell us about your volunteer role. 

CYL is an organization that my brother started in 2021. He had previously pursued fashion and music, until he discovered his passion for helping others, particularly addressing food insecurity in our community. We work with populations who “don’t have or can’t get.” 

In my role, I focus on logistics and volunteer coordination, especially helping with our events, including food drives and clothing distributions. I organize, I answer the phones, I try to ensure we have the volunteers we need. We often provide cooked meals at our events to ensure participants are fed. I help with making these things happen! 

What are your long-term plans or goals for the organization? 

We really like to help with food insecurity, so expanding that is one of our main priorities. We currently hold events and drives, particularly helping families in Georgia. Our plans include expanding into mobile health units and food pantries in food deserts around the area.  

We’ve also been focused on disaster relief efforts, especially in light of all of the hurricanes that have affected our region. We’re working on establishing a new disaster relief station and seeking grants to broaden our impact. We are volunteer-powered, currently with volunteers primarily recruited through word of mouth. Given what we represent, it’s not too hard to find volunteers, but time commitment can be an issue. People love helping, but we’re always looking for more volunteers and more funding to try to increase the organization’s impact. That said, we’re continually working on more areas of impact where we can do our due diligence. 

Tell us about future partnerships, programs or events that you are excited about. 

We have a handful of community events, including a successful yearly Halloween drive and ongoing partnerships with the City of Clarkston, including a Juneteenth event. We have ongoing water donations, clothing and book drives as well. Since we have to stay conscious of funding, we really aim to align our organization’s events with holidays and community needs. That way, we can do the most with what we have and make the most impact. 

What’s been the most rewarding part of your work? 

During our Halloween drive back in October, we were out there just cleaning up and this woman walking down the street stopped to talk to us. She didn’t have a kid and didn’t need anything from the drive. She said, “Man I really love what you guys stand for and all you’re doing. I haven’t seen anything like this done in our area.” That meant so much, for someone to acknowledge our impact in our specific region. 

Why is it important for others to get involved with causes they care about? 

I can’t speak for everyone, but I can share from a personal place. Anytime I’m stressed at work or at home, making time for volunteering increases your happiness. The personal fulfillment and stress relief that comes from volunteering is unparalleled. 

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering? 

The one thing I wouldn’t worry about is time commitment. Everything takes time. Work takes time. Learning takes time. I work overnight at Kroger, I deliver Papa John’s Pizza until 11 p.m. and I still find the time to volunteer. Whatever you can give matters. And remember that dedication and passion are more important than formal experience.  I’ve found that you don’t need to have a ton of skills; if you’re willing to help, it will pay off for both you and the community you’re serving. 

Do you want to make a difference in your community like Derin? Find local volunteer opportunities.