Transforming Her Own Passion Into Widespread Collective Action

Meet Daily Point of Light Award honoree Morgan Somerville. Read her story, and nominate an outstanding volunteer or family as a Daily Point of Light.

Morgan Somerville found her passion with a hammer in her hand and a blueprint in her mind. For more than 15 years, her commitment to volunteerism has taken her across the country with SBP, performing intense, hands-on disaster-recovery work to rebuild homes and restore hope for families struck by catastrophe. Her ability to organize chaos into community also led her to co-found Mission: I’m Home, creating a university alternative break program that has since engaged more than 700 people in disaster rebuilding while raising $40,000 annually. And she serves as a founding board member for FROM: Baltimore, where she leads a civic engagement accelerator empowering local youth.

Morgan’s belief in service perhaps shines brightest in her leadership as a board member for Business Volunteers Maryland, a Points of Light global network affiliate. In this role, she helps forge sustainable partnerships through skills-based volunteerism. She is currently helping to steer the organization through an exciting expansion, using the results of a long-term research project to articulate the profound economic and social value of corporate-nonprofit alliances.

While her nights and weekends are dedicated to grassroots boards and coordination, Morgan has also aligned her professional life with her personal mission. She is the supervisor of all volunteer mobilization for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, leading large-scale activations, team events and board matchmaking across Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Morgan believes that personal service is magnified when you inspire others to stand beside you. As an alum of the GIVE Fellowship who has supported civic engagement among Baltimore professionals for 15 years, leading by example is her only way forward. Read on to hear more about Morgan’s work and what keeps her inspired to volunteer so widely and frequently.

Tell us a little bit about your volunteer work.

As a board member with Business Volunteers Maryland, I help to support the connection of companies across our region with nonprofits building sustainable partnerships through service and skills-based volunteerism. We are excited to expand our work beyond the greater Maryland region through committed relationship building, as well as sharing the results of a long-term research project articulating the importance of this work. I strongly believe in the impact we can collectively have in our communities and appreciate the ability to support the corporate and nonprofit partners coming together for common goals.

I also currently oversee all volunteerism for CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield creating hundreds of opportunities for my colleagues to serve the communities across Maryland, D.C. and Northern Virginia. Last year 58% of my colleagues, 3,446 individuals, logged 110,716 volunteer hours resulting in a $9.1 million economic impact across our region. I support large scale volunteer activations and team volunteer events, as well as matching individuals to nonprofit boards and everything in between.

What inspired you to get started with this initiative?

My family members will tell you serving and getting involves has always been part of my personality. I was fortunate to be raised by a family of givers and went to schools where service wasn’t just a mandatory requirement; it was embedded in the culture. I found my true calling for serving the community when I was younger, but how I act on this calling has shown up in a variety of ways over the course of my life.

One of the most impactful volunteer opportunities of my life happened just outside of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. I was completely shocked by how much devastation occurred and the immense amount of loss. I was equally struck by the strength of the families and their commitment to rebuild not only their homes, but their community. This volunteer trip resulted in me creating an Alternative Break Program at Stevenson University where I was working at the time. Over the next 10 years, over 700 students, faculty, staff and alumni participated in rebuilding trips to five communities devastated by natural disasters.

After I left Stevenson and began my career at CareFirst, I continued to volunteer personally with SBP, formerly St. Bernard Project, and Rebuilding Together NOLA. I have served as a leader for corporate and university trips throughout Louisiana to not only personally help homeowners move back home, but to guide and lead teams of volunteers to align with this important work.

Why is volunteering so important to you?

Being an active member in the community has been a lifelong theme and how I approach my work professionally and personally. I’m committed to not only serving my community as an individual, but how can I help inspire, motivate and connect those around me to serve the community in ways that are meaningful to them. In order for our communities to truly thrive, we need everyone to do their part in making their corner of the world a bit brighter.

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

I plan to continue to serve in the communities where I live and work! I’m privileged to align my personal passion with my professional career and to create opportunities for folks to serve the mission and programs they are passionate about.

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

It’s truly difficult to pinpoint the most rewarding part, since there are so many incredible ripple effects to volunteering. But I think being witness to the “ah ha” moment of individuals when they unharness their personal potential of making an impact and understanding the power of their two hands on a project.
Collectively, it’s extremely rewarding to see the surge of energy when a team deploys on a volunteer project and makes a huge difference for a nonprofit in a matter of moments. Whether that is removing invasive species from a park, packaging thousands of medically tailored meals to be distributed to critically ill neighbors or hanging drywall in a home devastated by a natural disaster. When volunteers can walk away from an event realizing they made a difference either as an individual or as part of a team and are inspired to volunteer further… that is the best reward!

What have you learned through your experiences volunteering?

That truly everyone can make a difference. It might sound cliche, but everyone has the power to do good in their community. It may look different from one individual to the next, but we all have light within us that can help brighten our community.

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

I believe firmly in the power of the community, and that at one point or another, we will all need help and will need to rely on one another. The impact of volunteering might not be seen right away, but it should be known that the actions you take today will impact those around you tomorrow. Small actions build upon one another to make large differences.

Any advice for people who want to start volunteering?

As my 103-year-old Grandmother would say, “Just keep going!” If there was an organization that inspired you, check out their website to get involved. See what’s happening within your own neighborhood association, school network or house of worship.

The easiest way to support your community is to simply walk outside and see what your two hands are capable of improving. It could be as simple as picking up trash, planting a community garden or driving a neighbor to doctor’s appointments. There’s no shortage of need in the community, but there is also no shortage of ways to get involved!

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