Serving with Purpose Across Communities – Corporate, Nonprofit and Beyond

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

For two decades, Melinda Cora has left a remarkable legacy of service within her company, her community and even across borders. As a community champion at Prudential and PGIM, Melinda Cora has led financial literacy programs through Junior Achievement of New Jersey (JANJ), bringing elementary students into corporate settings to inspire their educational and career journeys. She is also a proud HISPA role model, having reached more than 600 students with messages of encouragement, resilience and the value of education.

Melinda’s impact is just as profound outside the workplace. Through Evangel Church, she has spent nearly 20 years teaching children and teens, hosting groups and now serving on the Board of Deacons where she’s helping shape the future of the church—including efforts to grow its outreach impact. As part of her prison ministry through God Behind Bars at Bedford Hills Correctional Facility, she brings messages of hope, healing and restoration to one of the most underserved populations in the country.

Her compassion crosses borders as well. As a board member for Marsha Mansour Ministries, Melinda has participated in mission trips to Guadalajara, Mexico, delivering supplies and encouragement to people in rehabilitation centers and orphanages. No matter the setting, her work centers on restoring dignity and helping people see that they are not defined by their current circumstances. At home, she opens her door to teenagers and young adults, encouraging them to expect more from life and pursue their purpose with confidence.

Whether mentoring colleagues over coffee, speaking on leadership panels or coordinating strategic plans through Prudential’s Juntos Business Resource Group, Melinda leads with humility and impact. She embodies the spirit of service at every level—empowering the next generation, uplifting marginalized voices and reminding everyone she encounters that they are seen, valued and capable of greatness.

Tell us about your volunteer role.

I’ve been actively volunteering for over 20 years. At the heart of everything I do are four guiding words: “love God, love people.” That simple phrase shapes how I serve and why I serve. My volunteer roles span across church, community and corporate spaces, but they all share a common thread—helping people grow, heal and thrive. At my church, I teach children, teens and adults, helping them understand how to live with purpose and compassion. I encourage young people to recognize their value and potential, often mentoring them through life’s challenges and transitions.

I also focus on equipping others with practical tools, whether that’s teaching life skills, offering career advice or helping nonprofit organizations operate more effectively through governance, leadership development and strategic planning.

Whether I’m leading a student ministry class, mentoring a colleague or serving on a board, my goal is always the same: to serve with excellence, to uplift others and to leave every space better than I found it.

Why are these issues so important to you?

Serving is at the core of how I live my life. Getting involved isn’t just something I do; it’s part of who I am. I believe in living generously, which means offering my time, my talents and my resources wherever they’re needed. I see each act of service as a powerful opportunity to make a difference. It’s not always convenient, and it’s rarely glamorous, but it’s always meaningful.

I’ve also learned that serving transforms not just the lives of those we help, but our own hearts as well. It keeps me grounded, grateful and aware of the needs around me. It reminds me that we’re all connected, and that even the smallest act of kindness can impact in ways I may never fully see.

What have you learned through your experiences as a volunteer?

Volunteering has taught me that it truly is more rewarding to give than to receive. There’s something deeply uplifting about being able to encourage someone else and it fills me with purpose and joy every time. I’ve also learned that giving isn’t one-dimensional.

Over the years, I’ve discovered that I can bring all parts of who I am—my skills, experiences and even my passions—into service. Whether it’s through teaching, mentoring, planning or simply showing up with a listening ear, each act of giving can leave a lasting impact. And perhaps most inspiring of all, I’ve seen how volunteering creates a ripple effect. I’m incredibly grateful to see that reflected in my own family. My three children (ages 22, 18 and 15) all serve in their own unique ways. Watching them step into lives of service reminds me that when we lead with compassion, others follow.

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

For me, what keeps me going, is that at the end of a week like this one, where I’m doing something every single day, after my day job, I ask myself, ‘what is the impact?’ Those challenging weeks may seem challenging, but through the little investments we make, all of a sudden, we can see exponential growth happen. My family and I have been given so much. How do we not pause and give a little time in those areas where we can?

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

It’s how we build stronger communities, how we live out our values and how we leave a legacy that truly matters. There are two aspects of volunteering: there are, obviously, the lives you change. But what I find more often than not is that I myself am the beneficiary. I walk away thinking, ‘Wow, that was literally food for my soul.’

When I walk into the prison, for instance, it’s hard. These are women with tough sentences. But when I walk out and I see the smiles on the women’s faces, when I hear them reciting back to us the encouraging words or thoughts we shared with them, when they say, ‘I was able to face this environment differently because you gave me hope,’ it’s all worth it. If each of us does our part, we’ll begin to see the long-term impact of those efforts. Our collective contributions can transform lives.

What do you want people to learn from your story?

I hope people see from my story that making a difference doesn’t always require grand gestures. It often starts with simply showing up. For me, whether it’s teaching children, mentoring a colleague over coffee or serving women in a correctional facility, every act of service matters. I want people to understand that their unique skills, experiences and even just presence can be used to meet real needs in the lives of others.

I also want to highlight the power of consistency. Over the years, I’ve learned that long-term impact is built little by little, bit by bit. It’s that compounding effect that leads to growth in people, communities and organizations. That’s why I serve across so many spaces: because I believe in the ripple effect of love in action.

And finally, I want people to know that legacy isn’t reserved for the famous or the powerful. It’s built by everyday people who choose to consistently give of themselves to lift others up. I’m honored to be one of many who are doing just that, and I hope my story encourages others to find their own way to give back and leave a legacy of impact.

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