Where Justice Meets Service: The Volunteer Spirit of Thurgood Marshall
As we celebrate
Global Volunteer Month
in April and prepare for National Volunteer Week (April 21-27, 2024), the legacy of Thurgood Marshall reminds us of the profound impact volunteerism can have on our world. Marshall wasn’t just the first Black Supreme Court Justice. He was a tireless advocate for civil rights, dedicating his life to volunteering in the pursuit of justice and equality.
The Making of a Volunteer
Thurgood Marshall’s commitment to serving others took root early. While many of us may know him for his landmark Supreme Court wins, his journey began decades prior. As a young lawyer and recent graduate of Howard University, Marshall returned to his hometown of Baltimore to build a private practice, offering his time and expertise to fight for those marginalized by systemic oppression.
His passion soon led him to the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund. As its chief counsel, Marshall developed a meticulously crafted “volunteer” legal strategy that culminated in the historic win in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954), paving the way for the desegregation of public schools nationwide.
Volunteering is a Pathway to Change
Marshall’s story is a timeless reminder that volunteering is much more than just getting involved in your community. It’s about acting as a catalyst for change. Whether we volunteer with local organizations or support broader causes close to our hearts, the simple act of donating our time and abilities makes an enormous difference.
Thurgood Marshall’s influence also reminds us that volunteering is not limited to a single act; it’s a mindset. As a tireless fighter for equality, Marshall argued a remarkable 32 cases before the Supreme Court, winning 29 – an unparalleled track record that highlights the impact a single dedicated “volunteer” can have on the world.
Step Up and Serve
This Global Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week, let’s honor Thurgood Marshall’s legacy by finding ways to get involved. The needs are great, but so are the opportunities:
- Volunteer in your community: Mentor a student, help at a local food bank or support a cause that aligns with your passions.
- Volunteer globally (even from home): Remote and virtual volunteer opportunities open up a world of options to make positive changes. Search Points of Light Engage to find opportunities!
- Volunteer your voice: Advocate for causes you believe in, write to representatives and use your voice to make change.
As Thurgood Marshall so eloquently said, “Where you see wrong or inequality or injustice, speak out, because this is your country. This is your democracy. Make it. Protect it.” Our volunteer efforts are a way to make and protect the world we want to live in. Let’s use this Global Volunteer Month and National Volunteer Week as a chance to rededicate ourselves to the ideals Thurgood Marshall championed and pave the path to a better future for all.
Activate Good: Inspiring Action Through Innovative Volunteer Engagement
Global Volunteer Month is a time to celebrate the power of volunteers to make a positive impact within communities worldwide. Points of Light is shining a light on
Activate Good
, a
Points of Light Global Network
affiliate making waves in the Triangle region of North Carolina.
Activate Good is focused on improving the community through various volunteer-driven projects. They see a future where everyone uses their inherent power to make a difference locally. We spoke with Rose Thompson, senior programs manager at Activate Good, to get her perspective on their new Learn and Serve model and all the innovative ways they’re inspiring volunteerism.
Tell us about a project or initiative you’re working on that’s making a big impact on your community.
In 2023, Activate Good launched a new model for volunteer engagement: The Learn and Serve. Learn and Serve is a new approach that aims to transform volunteering into a vehicle for greater civic participation and empowerment. The Learn and Serve model deepens engagement and understanding while challenging volunteers to take what they’ve learned to the next level through repeat participation, outreach and advocacy.
As the Triangle region’s Points of Light Affiliate, Activate Good is working to evolve and incorporate the
Points of Light Civic Circle
®
framework and these findings into our programs and throughout our organization. Our Learn and Serve model is one of the ways we are doing this.
In 2023, Learn and Serve projects facilitated more than 2,000 hours of learning and engagement. We surveyed participants, and as a result of participating in a Learn and Serve:
- 89% plan to volunteer more in the next year.
- 93%better understand how people different from them in the community might feel.
- 91% feel closer to their community.
- 98% better understand the needs in our community.
- 50% plan to engage in other civic actions.
Explore Activate Good’s 2023 Impact Report
“As I look back on 2023, what strikes me most is the dedication of our amazing Staff, Board members, and volunteers in ensuring that our community will always have people who have its back,” said Amber Smith, founder and executive director of Activate Good. “With a small but mighty team and limited resources, we somehow managed to break our own records, facilitating over 20,000 volunteer sign ups through last year. We built capacity for hundreds of organizations and schools and activated community members to start or grow on their personal journey to become lifelong changemakers.”
Tell us about an upcoming special event or milestone that your organization is celebrating.
Our visionary founder and executive director, Amber Smith, is departing our organization after nearly 20 years of being its driving force. We are hosting a farewell fundraiser in her honor, and the new executive director will be a part of that event on April 30.
How are you recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions?
We host an annual event in November to show gratitude to our project leaders, sponsors, donors, etc. called Thanks(for)Giving! We also have recognized volunteers with the Daily Point of Light Award (in years past) and the PVSA (in 2023), and we host The Civic 50.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through civic engagement?
We believe we all have a responsibility to work towards a better world, and we hope you’ll join us on a journey of transformation.
Champion Volunteerism During Global Volunteer Month
We all want our volunteers to feel fulfilled and engaged, ensuring they keep returning for more opportunities. Three important ways to accomplish this goal are by establishing an inclusive environment, investing in and supporting their development, and ensuring they know they are making a difference. This idea pertains to all people in the orbit of your organization—employees, volunteers, donors and your community.
With
Global Volunteer Month
on the horizon, instead of just throwing a party and printing certificates or hosting a one-time
volunteer
opportunity, it’s a great time to reflect on how you can improve the volunteer experience for your volunteers. This monthlong celebration of volunteerism throughout April offers the perfect opportunity to create touchpoints with your organization for a first-time volunteer, a long-timer, and one that you have yet to meet. Plus, you can use this opportunity to plan for a year-round, comprehensive approach. Here are three things to consider in your planning.
Establish an Inclusive Environment
How inclusive are you? Is your organization engaging those with diverse lived experiences, ages, races, socioeconomic status and more? It’s imperative to continue to evolve your organization’s culture of volunteerism to be inclusive of future volunteers and create space for all community members to volunteer. Choose to be intentional with community engagement and recruiting efforts; authentically show up in communities that you hope to engage and ask them to help you design meaningful and impactful volunteer opportunities that deliver on your mission. If you already have an inclusive environment with meaningful ways for people to connect with your organization and help improve their community, then focus on maintaining that approach and digging even deeper. A great way to help hold your organization and yourself accountable is engaging volunteers in developing volunteer opportunities and creating strong relationships with individuals that will help call you in before there is an issue.
Ensure They Know They are Making a Difference
Everyone has their own motivation when they start to volunteer. You will build deeper engagement if they see how their effort is helping the organization. They will feel appreciated if they know that their efforts make a difference for the community you support.
- Appreciate your volunteers in ways that help them see the difference they are making, like using the Global Volunteer Month social media toolkit—a click of your mouse makes it easy to share globally.
- Recognize an outstanding volunteer by nominating them for a Daily Point of Light Award.
- Add a Mission Impact section to every position description.
- Go beyond token appreciation of just saying thank you. Instead of saying, “Thank you for filing those papers,” be specific. Say, “Thank you for filing those client forms. You are helping other team members do what they are uniquely qualified to do. We appreciate you.”
No matter how you embed these and other tactics into your engagement approach, it’s imperative to regularly ensure that the people helping your organization see how they are part of something bigger.
Invest in and Support Their Development
When you invest in people, they will help make your programs and services better. Volunteerism is a relationship—both parties must get something out of it. Whether through an intake process, structured conversations during a stay interview or just casually getting to know your volunteers, identify ways to help them be better community members and volunteers. You can make volunteer development plans per person, or you may identify some themes and team up with corporate partners to do in-kind training or professional development seminars. It doesn’t need to have a high cost to see a high return. Engage skills-based volunteers to help you invest in and support your volunteers. Don’t forget to acknowledge their progress through LinkedIn endorsements, a simple digital certificate of completion, organizational leadership’s acknowledgment or a social media post this April using #GVM. Invite your volunteers and community to grow with you and thank them for their time and dedication to being an even better volunteer.
Though these three concepts may seem simple, they will have a larger impact than you can imagine. You will create volunteer champions to drive word-of-mouth engagement and expand your organization’s reach. Remember to invest in excellence, leveraging strategic volunteer engagement to drive your mission forward. Be sure to celebrate volunteers year-round and move appreciation from an annual event to an ongoing activity to inspire and engage your volunteer champions.
Whether you do it across your organization or pilot it with just the volunteers you engage, thank your volunteers at your annual appreciation event, use
Good Deeds Day
as a touchpoint and recognize your volunteers this Global Volunteer Month. By taking a birds-eye-view of your current volunteer engagement practices, you’ll continue to push yourself and your organization to do better for your volunteers and your community.
Top 10 Ways to Prepare for Global Volunteer Month
April is
Global Volunteer Month
, a time to celebrate and participate in the power of volunteering. As we gear up for this inspiring month, here are 10 essential ways you can prepare to make the most of it:
1. Educate Yourself on the Importance of Volunteering
Understanding the impact of volunteering on communities and individuals is crucial. Read up on the stories of change and transformation brought about by volunteers around the world. This knowledge can fuel your motivation and commitment.
2. Check Out the Social Press Toolkit
Points of Light offers a comprehensive
social press toolkit
that is a treasure trove of information. This toolkit provides guidance on how to spread the word about Global Volunteer Month, share your stories and inspire others to join the cause. It’s a must-have resource for both new and seasoned volunteers.
3. Set Personal Volunteering Goals
What do you wish to achieve during Global Volunteer Month? It could be a certain number of volunteering hours, learning a new skill or helping a specific number of people. Setting clear, achievable goals can provide a sense of direction and accomplishment.
4. Search for In-Person and Virtual Volunteer Opportunities
The
Engage platform
is your go-to place to find both in-person and virtual volunteering opportunities. With a wide array of options, you can choose what resonates most with your interests and skills. Whether you have a few hours to spare or can commit to a long-term project, there’s something for everyone.
5. Connect with Other Volunteers
Join online forums, social media groups or local community gatherings of volunteers. Connecting with like-minded individuals can provide support, inspiration and even valuable networking opportunities.
6. Prepare Your Volunteering Kit
Depending on your chosen volunteering activity, prepare a kit. This could include items like comfortable clothing, snacks for the event, necessary tools or even educational materials if you’re teaching or mentoring.
7. Spread the Word
Use your personal and professional networks to spread the word about Global Volunteer Month. Encourage friends, family and colleagues to participate. The more people involved, the bigger the impact.
8. Reflect on Past Volunteering Experiences
If you’ve volunteered before, take some time to reflect on those experiences. What did you learn? What would you like to do differently this time? These reflections can guide your approach to the upcoming opportunities.
9. Plan for Flexibility
Sometimes, volunteering plans can change – projects evolve, or personal commitments shift. Go into Global Volunteer Month with a flexible mindset, ready to adapt and embrace whatever comes your way.
10. Celebrate Your Impact
Finally, remember to celebrate the impact of your volunteer work. Recognizing the difference you make can be incredibly rewarding and can spur ongoing commitment to volunteering.
By following these steps, you’ll be well-prepared to make a meaningful contribution during Global Volunteer Month. Let’s join hands and hearts to make a difference in our communities and beyond!
Transform Your Volunteer Appreciation: Become a Service Enterprise Organization
Often organizations that I have worked with and supported pre-COVID had a big volunteer appreciation event, but during the pandemic those events had to be put on pause, so organizations began to ask volunteers how they really wanted to be appreciated. Many said a simple and genuine thank you, to use their time well and to include them in the organization.
What better way to show volunteer appreciation than to invest in improving how your organization engages and supports them? During
Global Volunteer Month
, I encourage you to take a moment, pause and reflect on how your organization is engaging the skills, talents and time that volunteers are giving.
- Do you have opportunities for volunteers to serve throughout your departments or service lines your organization offers?
- Do you have volunteers and pro-bono services sprinkled throughout the organization chart?
- Does your organization’s culture embrace volunteers as a key resource for realizing your mission?
If your organization’s culture doesn’t yet have answers to these questions, start by exploring how your organization can participate in Points of Light’s
Service Enterprise Program
, run by
AL!VE
(Association of Leaders in Volunteer Engagement).
In addition to giving your volunteers a token gift and/or celebratory event, you can showcase all of the work your organization was able to accomplish due to their contributions, assure them that you are investing their time and talents in the most impactful ways, and that the organization recognizes and appreciates all that volunteers bring to the organization. This transformation doesn’t happen overnight, but with the help of our Service Enterprise Program, you can begin to evolve the organization’s culture through this change management process that helps nonprofit organizations effectively and efficiently leverage the time and talent of volunteers to help deliver their social mission.
We realize that you may have a great
volunteer engagement
program, but to take it to the next level, to truly integrate volunteer engagement into the organization culture, you are going to need more. Service Enterprise helps your organization through this change management process.
First, we facilitate a self-assessment research-based diagnostic and offer a debrief that will help your organization recognize the strengths and areas of opportunity that currently exist. Together, we select a team that will carry the organization through the change management process and bring together leadership, volunteer engagement professionals and more. The team attends training and has dedicated time and activities to focus on better engaging and supporting volunteers (and often all human capital) at the organization.
You will also join a network of peers working toward operating as a Service Enterprise. This network often shares resources and helps each other along the journey. Your Service Enterprise Trainer will provide you with additional coaching and support to meet unique needs and address challenges within your organization.
Imagine, at your next volunteer appreciation event or in your April 2024 newsletter, you’ll be able to tell your volunteers that you not only appreciate the way that they continue to lean in and fight for your cause by sharing their time and talents, but your organization has achieved the national volunteer engagement accreditation of Service Enterprise. As a Service Enterprise certified organization, they’ll know that their time is well invested when they spend it advocating for your mission.
To learn more about Service Enterprise or how to connect with volunteer engagement professionals across the country contact Kayla Paulson at
[email protected]
or (319) 310-0901.
6 Influencers Using Social Media for a Good Cause This Global Volunteer Month
Social media provides an opportunity for those advocating for causes to make their
voices
heard, spread awareness and garner widespread support. By reaching audiences across the nation and the globe, social media influencers can harness their social impact by educating and informing the masses on current-day issues, solutions and organizations working to create change.
Here we’re featuring six changemakers who partnered with Points of Light during
Global Volunteer Month
throughout April to amplify this movement through their social media platforms. Their messaging lent support to promote volunteerism in communities around the world.
6 posts using social media for a good cause
Taylor Moxey
The
Taylor Moxey Foundation
was created to empower literacy for children and families worldwide through local sustainable libraries, education and arts programs. The organization’s founder, Taylor Moxey, is passionate about the power of reading to promote creativity and innovation in both children and adults. This young philanthropist is already a published author, award-winner and creator of a daily mantra card deck.
The three Florida-based Taylor Moxey libraries are constructed of pod-style buildings created from repurposed shipping containers, providing a sustainable approach to creating more spaces for youth and families to cultivate their love of reading and education.
You can
meet Taylor here
and see her Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
Dani Aravich
Dani Aravich
is a Paralympian, adaptive model and disability advocate. Born without her left hand and forearm, Dani has represented the United States at the summer and winter Paralympic Games. She fiercely advocates for inclusion in the outdoors for people with disabilities.
From playing sports from a young age and excelling against non-disabled peers, Dani went on to a decorated career in professional sports, including track and field, Nordic skiing, trail running, backcountry skiing and more. She advocates for disability inclusion in sports and is currently working toward establishing an avalanche course for people with disabilities.
Meet
Dani
and see her Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
Sir Darius Brown
Sir Darius Brown is a powerhouse teen social entrepreneur, speaker, shelter pet advocate, philanthropist, recipient of the Global Child Prodigy Award and founder & CEO of
Beaux & Paws
, where he designs and creates handmade stylish bow ties for dogs in animal shelters.
At the age of 2, Sir Darius was diagnosed with speech comprehension and fine motor skills delay. But by the age of 8, his fine motor skills started to improve after he began assisting his older sister with cutting fabric and learning how to use a sewing machine. During this time, he discovered his passion for making bow ties. Beaux & Paws was founded during the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, in an effort to help displaced pups become more adoptable with adorable bow ties that help them look their best.
Meet
Sir Darius
and see his Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
Trevon Jenifer
Paralympic Gold medalist and advocate
Trevon Jenifer
was born with congenital amputation, but that didn’t stop him from becoming a successful track athlete and top wrestler in high school. In 1992, Trey started playing wheelchair basketball with team Air Capital in Washington D.C., eventually becoming a three-year captain and two-time All-American for the Edinboro men’s wheelchair basketball team. He then played professional basketball for two years overseas in France.
A published author, husband and father, Trey is an advocate for equality and equity, shining his light on issues that individuals with disabilities face within our society. Since embarking on the Paralympic stage in 2009, Trey has continued to empower all athletes on all levels in their respective sports. He uses his athletic platform to spark difficult conversations with high-ranking personnel within government, corporations and private agencies
Meet
Trevon
and see his Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
Hollis Belger
Eighteen-year-old Hollis Belger founded
Juggling for Jude
when she realized she had a knack for juggling — a skill she recognized after joining a competitive soccer team at age 8. Through a combination of soccer juggling, appearances at special events and public speaking, Hollis has raised more than $660,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with the help of thousands of individual donors, juggler volunteers and partners supporting her cause.
Hollis has since become an advocate for youth in philanthropy, speaking and writing about how young people can take a passion and turn it into a way to get involved with the causes they care about. Having completed a Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations through Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies, she’s currently working with Howard Moskowitz, PhD, a pioneer in the field of consumer analytics and market segmentation. Together they are applying his research methodology and technology to help St. Jude and other nonprofits and philanthropists communicate with their audiences for maximum return.
Meet
Hollis
and see her Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
Shreya and Sahana Mantha
Shreya and Sahana Mantha created the
Foundation for Girls
in 2012 to economically empower marginalized women and support their children. Since economic empowerment is the way to financial independence for women, these sisters spotted an opportunity to utilize their knowledge and passion to pave the way for future generations of women to be more equipped for economic success.
The organization’s four-pillared approach invests in women to become financially savvy, digitally capable, career confident and socially connected. The programs are based on the organization’s theory of change model and are crucial enablers for women to accomplish their financial, career and personal goals. Through FFG programs, women summon the courage to commit to action which builds competence and, in turn, gives them confidence.
Meet
Shreya and Sahana
and see their Global Volunteer Month post on
Instagram
.
L.A. Works Uses Social Media During Global Volunteer Month for Volunteer Recruitment and Recognition
We’re in the final stretch of
Global Volunteer Month
2023, and continuing to celebrate individuals and organizations around the world affecting change and advocating for social good. We’ve been featuring a handful of
Points of Light Global Network
affiliates who are positively impacting their communities through volunteer recruitment, recognition and special events throughout April.
The Points of Light Global Network operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations that serve more than 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together, we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent and resources to create positive change in their communities.
L.A. Works
is a member of the Points of Light Global Network and is Los Angeles’ largest volunteer action center. The organization aims to unite Angelenos and inspire action for a more equitable Los Angeles.
We spoke with Samantha Wheeler, director of communications at L.A. Works, to talk about why volunteering matters and how the organization utilizes its resources to uplift volunteers and the overall mission.
How is your organization recognizing Global Volunteer Month this year?
L.A. Works has volunteers across many different categories and programs, and we intend to highlight them across social media this month. We have reels and posts planned to highlight corporate volunteers, volunteers who are over 55, FAVE volunteer families, climate action/disaster preparedness teams, VISTA members and general volunteers.
What resources or tools are you providing to volunteers to help them get involved in their community?
We utilize our website, social media, tabling events and canvassing to get people involved.
How are you recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions during Global Volunteer Month?
We are using a social media campaign to thank all of our volunteers – from corporate volunteers to family volunteers and all in between – for their service.
What role does volunteerism play in your organization’s overall mission and objectives?
Volunteering is the heart of what we do. Our purpose is to make sure that Angelenos work on local needs through hands-on service and feel empowered to address the most critical needs in Los Angeles.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through volunteerism?
Volunteering is a great way to follow your passion. We have so many volunteers come to us because there’s a specific area that they care about but maybe they don’t get to explore because of work obligations. Volunteering is an excellent way to engage in something you care about.
It’s also a great way to discover a new interest. We’ve also had volunteers who discovered they had an interest in something new nurtured by a few hours of service in a specific area, not to mention the benefits of volunteering: meeting new people, learning new things, lowering blood pressure to name a few.
Ways to Engage your Company in Global Volunteer Month
This month, take a short pause to celebrate the power of people who tackle society’s greatest challenges and build stronger, more vibrant communities through volunteerism and everyday actions.
Starting April 1, Points of Light and organizations around the world join together to celebrate
Global Volunteer Month
. Throughout the month, we invite you to shine a light on the employees who use their time and talents to volunteer or engage in their communities through one of the components of
Points of Light’s Civic Circle
®
. Want to see what that could look like in practice? Keep reading.
First things first, download the Global Volunteer Month
Toolkit for Companies
to access tools and resources to help you participate. Then, check out the following simple ways your company can get involved this year:
- Amplify your company’s social impact work by highlighting your employee volunteers and the impact they have year-round in the communities where they live and work. Share volunteer stories on social media using hashtag #GlobalVolunteerMonth and tagging @PointsofLight to inspire others in your community and around the world.
- Send a note from senior leadership that recognizes your company’s commitment to creating change. In the toolkit, you’ll find sample messaging along with links to graphics we encourage you to use.
- Share our Civic Life Today digital magazines with employees to remind them of all the ways they can make a positive difference in their community.
- Contact your local Points of Light affiliate to learn what communities need and how your employee volunteers can help.
- Search our database for volunteer opportunities, or our Virtual Volunteer Guide, and don’t forget to check out our DIY projects that volunteers can do from home.
Thanks to our lead sponsor, Phillips 66, and supporting sponsor, UPS, during the month we’ll be spotlighting individuals and organizations that are making a difference in their communities. We invite you to read and share
these stories
to showcase ordinary people doing extraordinary acts, big and small, with the goal of making this world a little better for others. Happy Global Volunteer Month!
Hands On Atlanta Focuses on Volunteer Appreciation and Fundraising for Global Volunteer Month
As
Global Volunteer Month
moves along, making ripples of impact in communities around the world through volunteer efforts, we’re highlighting a few
Points of Light Global Network
affiliates who are positively impacting their communities through volunteer appreciation and other pathways to doing social good.
The Points of Light Global Network operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations that serve more than 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together, we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent and resources to create positive change in their communities.
Hands On Atlanta
is a member of the Points of Light Global Network, with a vision for Atlanta to be the most civically engaged and equitable community in the world. Hands On Atlanta mobilizes the Atlanta community to tackle the city’s most pressing needs.
We spoke with Tim Adkins, director of marketing and communications at Hands On Atlanta, to talk about the organization’s take on Global Volunteer Month and how they are celebrating it this year.
How is your organization recognizing Global Volunteer Month this year?
This year, we’re celebrating Global Volunteer Month with our
Spring for Service
campaign. On our blog and social channels, we’ll recognize 20 volunteers throughout the month with our Volunteer Spotlights and in addition, we’ll recognize five nonprofit partners.
We are also going to use the flurry of global and national days of service to mobilize the community to serve. We are promoting projects on Good Deeds Day, Earth Day, Global Youth Service Day, National Volunteer Week and other local events like 48in48.
The third and final piece is a fundraiser, led by a peer-to-peer giving campaign with a goal of raising $130,000.
How are you engaging with volunteers to inspire them to participate in community service activities?
The idea is to recognize individuals and add a call to action to join them. We want to inspire others to volunteer for a big day of service.
What resources or tools are you providing to volunteers to help them get involved in their community?
We regularly share between 25-50 volunteer opportunities a day on our platform. With our software, marketing tools and website, we’ve made finding a project as quick and easy as possible.
What impact has Global Volunteer Month had on your organization and the communities you serve?
Global Volunteer Month is a tool our organization leverages to recognize and mobilize volunteers, while also supporting our spring fundraising efforts. Because we’re a part of a bigger initiative, our bet is that volunteers are more inclined to get involved and act now instead of waiting for another time. For fundraising, we draw a very clear and direct narrative to our work – we use the spotlights to tell the story and the marquee events to share the need.
What role does volunteerism play in your organization’s overall mission and objectives?
Volunteering and service is 100% of our organization’s mission. We don’t exist without our volunteers or
AmeriCorps
members.
Share one success story of a volunteer (or a group of volunteers) in your community who have made a significant impact.
Our Civic Leadership Program is the best example of “service success” at Hands On Atlanta. It’s a pretty competitive process. To qualify, members must have served at least three times in the past year. Then, once accepted, fellows are paired with a nonprofit or school for 10 months, where they host at least one project per month.
They recruit volunteers, manage onsite and do all the follow-up and post-project work. They also attend quarterly leadership training workshops led by various community leaders and subject matter experts. The last piece of the program is the fundraising commitment. The program is free for fellows, but we ask they raise $500 for Hands On Atlanta.
Last year our Civic Fellows engaged close to 1,000 volunteers to serve over 2,600 hours across 10 different nonprofits and eight schools, raising over $13,000 for Hands On Atlanta. Our fellows go on to do great things, like this volunteer spotlight from former fellow — now Civic Leader —
Capt. Aprille Moore
.
What are some future plans for your organization to continue promoting volunteerism and civic engagement beyond Global Volunteer Month?
We’re looking to engage and recognize volunteers throughout the year, with another large focus and push during Hands On Atlanta Week in October and MLK Day in January.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through volunteerism?
Don’t wait! Dive in, experiment, learn what you like and don’t like, meet different organizations and you’ll find something that works well for you — while doing good along the way. It’ll become a lifestyle and a part of your weekly or monthly routine.
You’ll feel good, meet great people, learn about some of the challenges in the community, maybe explore new parts of town you haven’t been to and make a difference every time you serve.
Phillips 66 and UPS Sponsor Global Volunteer Month 2023
It’s Points of Light’s fourth annual
Global Volunteer Month
and this year, our sponsors are continuing to support this month of service with their generosity. Through their contributions, Points of Light is better equipped to celebrate the impact of people who volunteer and engage in civic actions that change the world.
Research shows that that 73% of people believe that volunteering is more important than ever, yet 66% think they can’t make a big impact in their communities. To tackle society’s greatest challenges and build a better future, we must engage a wide range of people to make a positive difference in the world.
In partnership with Phillips 66, our lead sponsor for Global Volunteer Month 2023, and our supporting sponsor UPS, we’re shining a light on the work they are doing in communities around the globe.
Phillips 66
believes that giving back and investing in community is a critical role they play as a company. Whether it’s through their Good Energy Month in April or year-round, Phillips 66 employees are encouraged and empowered to give their time and talents to improve lives and demonstrate the company values of safety, honor, and commitment. Since 2012, the company has logged 680,000 hours of service from employee volunteers and invested $280 million into local communities. Whether it be education equity, environmental sustainability, social advancement or safety and wellbeing, Phillips 66 is using its resources of capital and people power to advance the causes their employees and communities care about.
At
UPS
, service is in their DNA. The UPS Foundation leverages their company’s people, business assets and philanthropic resources globally to address the systemic inequities and injustice that contribute to poverty and prevent people and communities from thriving. Their vision is to create a more equitable and just world, and their philanthropic approach centers on equity and justice through four focus areas: Health and Humanitarian Relief, Equity and Economic Empowerment, Local Community Engagement and Planet Protection – what they refer to as their HELP pillars. The company is committed to serving 30 million volunteer hours by 2030, and saw 2 million volunteer service hours recorded in 2022 alone, with over 529,000 volunteer hours recorded in underserved Black communities.
The UPS Foundation
has invested $120.8 million globally and has planted 22 million trees to date.
As these companies and many others engage employees throughout Global Volunteer Month, it’s important to keep in mind that volunteer recognition helps promote active participation and strengthens ESG programs. If you’re leading a project or team for Global Volunteer Month, consider nominating one of your employee volunteers for the
Daily Point of Light Award
or the
President’s Volunteer Service Award
.
And if your organization is looking for volunteer projects to get involved with this Global Volunteer Month, consider partnering with one of our nonprofit affiliates. Points of Light’s
Global Network
is made up of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations that serve more than 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent, voice and resources to create positive change in their communities.
