Corporate, Nonprofit and Individual Impact with National Volunteer and Philanthropy Center
The team at National Volunteer & Philanthropy Center takes their mission seriously: to become the “City of Good” by building a culture of giving in Singapore where individuals, organizations and leaders come together to give their best for others.
Through NVPC’s brands, programs and initiatives, this Points of Light Global Network Affiliate facilitates partnerships with nonprofits, organizations, public sector bodies and individuals to enliven the giving ecosystem within Singapore.
work, NVPC felt they wanted to do something similar in Singapore. So they partnered with the Points of Light Corporate Institute to adapt the “4 I Framework” into the initial diagnostic tool and definition of good corporate giving, which was used to launch the Company of Good. This initiative seeks to help organizations do good strategically, sustainably and impactfully.
NVPC has since onboarded more than 2,000 companies that have taken the assessment and developed “Champions of Good” – a national award recognizing exceptional corporate givers. This mighty team has been honored to have Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Heng Swee Keat grace their events in a show of support for the importance of corporate citizenship in Singapore.
platform in Singapore that connects the public to donation, volunteering and fundraising opportunities from over 600 organizations across 14 causes.
Since the pandemic began in 2020, NVPC has waived the 3% transaction fee so that these organizations could receive 100% of the donations to tide them over through this trying period. The team has been heartened by the generosity of Singaporeans, raising a record $95.5M on the platform in 2021 alone.
Their annual SG Cares Giving Week in December is another avenue of mission delivery. In 2021, the event garnered 300 partners including companies and nonprofits, launching a new initiative, The Great Singapore Give, which raised $2.1M last year.
NVPC is truly going above and beyond to serve Singapore through several avenues including:
Efforts to bring diversity and rejuvenation to NGO boards through a self-assessment tool
Working with informal grass-roots groups to empower and connect them with resources
Using community-based collaboration to bring diverse stakeholders together to collectively unpack complex social issues
“Pause and take stock of your gifts, talents and experience, including the good, bad and ugly,” says Melissa Kwee, NVPC’s CEO, to anyone looking to become more civically engaged. “Use this as fodder to find your
ikigai
– your sense of deeper purpose. Is there something you want to change? Is there something you want to support or grow? What kinds of service brings you joy? Ask questions and start the adventure! Ask friends what they’re doing. Visit the nonprofits in your neighborhood. Go online and search for how you can contribute. Adopt a learning attitude. There will not be a perfect fit. Volunteering can be challenging, even frustrating at times, but there are deep lessons if we stop to reflect. Don’t give up. There is great joy and purpose found in serving others. Keep searching, asking and knocking. You will find.”
Points of Light Affiliate and Corporate Partner Join Forces to Aid in the Ukraine Crisis
Imagine, coming home from your workday, overhearing young children talking about becoming refugees – describing having to leave the homes they’ve always known because of bombings.
This is an experience Agnieszka Lissowska-Lewkowicz vividly remembers, and it’s one of the things that drives her to find meaningful ways to support the more than 2 million Ukrainian refugees in Poland.
Her organization has been able to help connect corporate volunteers with a few hundred refugees so far.
. It is, by far, the most pressing need because funding allows those on the ground to put much-needed expertise and staffing in place to meet emergent needs in real time. For example, $18,000 can fund a full-time staff person at these organizations for an entire year.
, the Points of Light affiliate in Poland, Lissowska-Lewkowicz has been working to coordinate support between local nonprofit organizations, like Malteser Ukraine, and businesses in the region including Raytheon, a Points of Light corporate partner. The company has
8,000 employees in Poland, its largest site outside of North America.
Raytheon’s overarching goal is to understand the needs and work with trusted organizations to coordinate employee volunteers and assist financially. Its teams are procuring essential items for distribution to refugees through the Polish government. Some are even helping by housing refugees.
In uncertain times, knowing that nonprofits in the region are working with civic-minded companies to aid refugees and others in need provides a sense of hope. There are also things you can do to help.
3 Ways You Can Support Ukraine Today
Donate. Cash is the single most effective way you can support Ukrainian relief. When you donate through Points of Light, we ensure that your gift directly reaches our affiliates around Ukraine so they can support refugees and mobilize other humanitarian efforts.
Do not self-deploy. It’s understandable that seeing harrowing images of the suffering in and around Ukraine might prompt you to feel compelled to take action. Wait until experts in the region say the time is right. Otherwise, what is intended to be helpful could actually become a hindrance – or worse – a danger.
Get involved with an organization serving refugees in your own community. Points of Light can connect you with a worldwide network of affiliates that are in close touch with the specialized needs around Ukraine relief. Find an organization near you so you can be in touch and prepared to act when the time comes.
Points of Light operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations who serve more than 177 affiliates across 38 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. Learn more about our Global Network.
6 Ways to Activate Points of Light’s Civic Circle Around Ukraine Relief
As Ukrainian refugees evacuate their homeland and begin to build new lives in new countries, you can support them. We’ve gathered a collection of ways for you to activate
Cash donations offer flexibility for organizations to respond in real time to people’s developing needs. Do your research first so you can be sure that the organization you plan to support is legitimate. Points of Light has established the
is happening all April long. Now is a great time to register to volunteer, but please do not self-deploy. There is limited access around humanitarian relief efforts right now. Working in the aftermath can be both dangerous and complex. It’s safest to wait until the impacted community has requested support, then coordinate with a vetted organization. Find a
, where we share updates and valuable information from our affiliates and other organizations about ways to support Ukraine. You can also follow first responders that are taking action to learn about the most pressing needs. Be intentional to watch media that cover both conservative and liberal views.
Through signing a petition, creating artwork with a statement or even staying silent, you can make your voice heard. And of course, you can share on your own social media network to raise awareness about long-term recovery needs. Just be careful to choose trustworthy sources to ensure you’re spreading accurate information. Check out our issue of
Your dollars can have an impact. You can choose to do business with companies supporting relief efforts in and around Ukraine with proceeds from your purchases. Participate in your own
by searching for companies that are selling products and services that you need. Some companies that are doing this work include Epic Games, maker of the popular video game, Fortnite. The company is giving away all proceeds from the game through April 3. Video game console maker Xbox has joined their effort by donating their net proceeds as well. Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation launched the ‘Meta History: Museum of War’ collection, a series of NFTs that support the war effort in Ukraine. Grammarly, an English language app, is donating $5 million to organizations and funds supporting the people of Ukraine.
There is a growing movement in the corporate sector toward “doing well by doing good,” This ideal could look like giving to humanitarian relief efforts through employee matching, which not only supports the cause but amplifies employee donations. Find out if your company is supporting Ukraine through donations and matching or other means.
Some companies that are doing this type of work include:
Bank of America, which pledged to donate $1 million to the people of Ukraine via five groups: the Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Ukraine and the region, World Central Kitchen, Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, International Medical Corps and Project Hope. The bank also said it would match employee donations to support the relief effort.
KPMG Chair and CEO, Paul Knopp, shared via Twitter, “At KPMG we stand with and support the people of Ukraine, condemning violent attacks by the Russian givernment [sic]. Today, KPMG is making an initial $250,000 donation to GlobalGiving’s Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund and encouraging our partners and professionals to donate as well.”
Whether you activate all six elements of the Civic Circle or choose just one, you’re exercising your civic power. Which will you choose? Tag us on
Points of Light operates with a network of innovative volunteer-mobilizing organizations who serve more than 177 affiliates across 38 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. Learn more about our Global Network.
Lowe’s Grant Recipient Creates More Culturally Responsive School Campus
We sat down with Rachel Axelrad, one of the winners of the Lowe’s
Hometowns Partnership, to learn about her experiences as a grant recipient and how the project impacted not only her school but the community at large. As a full-time teacher, the project was a big undertaking for Rachel, and she discusses how Points of Light and
provided critical support and expertise to her team of parents and teachers.
T
ell
us
a little about yourself and how the project got started
.
It is my
eighth
year teaching at Hillcrest Elementary, a public school in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles
. Our school used to have murals, and the school district had some funding to redo them. We were offered two color choices: tan with brown borders or tan with gray borders. Those are not welcoming or inspiring colors! We believe that spaces define how you feel and act. Our new space needed to be warm, safe, welcoming, bright
,
and happy.
We wanted to use the murals as teaching points and to reflect our community. Our school is around 50% Latinx and 50% Black and
is
located in a historically Black neighborhood of Los Angeles. How wonderful it would be to have meaningful, intentional murals that included portraits of historical people of color who were changemakers.
Our team began fundraising and came across the Lowe’s
Hometowns grant. We were so fortunate to win $100,000
,
because that goes a long way.
The results are stunning and must have had a strong impact on the students. How did your colleagues react?
The final product is even more impactful on us, the staff. In our society, so many things about teaching are hard, especially in public school settings. I enjoy being in such a beautiful space and being able to use the murals as a teaching opportunity. When we started Black History Month, I printed pictures of murals and asked my students who they knew and who they did not know. At this point, I have taught
about
most of the individuals commemorated in our murals.
How daunting was it to take on a project like
this
during
a pandemic
,
while also tackling all the challenges teachers
were facing
?
Honestly, I did not understand what I was getting into, and the size of the project was extremely tough on my work-life balance. When I first found out about our award, I was so excited. Quickly that turned into feeling overwhelmed because I have a full-time job, and this project was a second full-time job.
Luckily, Lowe’s and Points of Light connected me to a Points of Light affiliate, LA Works, and they took over a lot of the coordination and planning pieces. I could not have done what LA Works did with this project. They had a way of making this come to fruition by helping with all the communications and paperwork
,
along with sourcing equipment and finding skilled labor. It was a big relief that I was not left alone. They saved the day!
How does this project inspire the students to believe
that
they have the power to create change?
Our kids got to see change in action. They were witnesses to us taking agency over our situation. We did not like what we saw, so we made it better as a school community.
Points of Light’s Civic Circle shows how making a difference can go beyond traditional volunteering.
Intentional p
urchases, thoughtful donations, employment choices and posts on social media can all have an impact on their community.
Yes, I agree with you. One person who was as integral as LA Works was one of our muralists
,
Erin. She had never done anything like
this
before, but she felt like she needed to do this and help us. She was a full partner in emailing, scheduling, planning
,
and budgeting. That was how she gave her time and energy to support very deserving students.
So many people want to do good, and skilled volunteers like Erin are critical. Also, we needed people to give us funding. Lowes’ donation was essential. Companies come in with the best of intentions, but they often engageat the community and very rarelywith the community. This was the first time we felt that everyone was working with us and letting us make decisions since we knew what would be best for our school.
What would you say to a donor considering making a gift to Points of Light and our affiliate network?
I am Jewish, and in my faith, we believe in levels of charity. The highest form of charity is giving without being asked and helping someone you do not know. By doing so, you are showing respect and trust that the donation will be used for the highest and best purpose. State funding is not always attuned to our needs. If someone gives to Points of Light, and then Points of Light helps us, that person can know that the resources are being used effectively and in tangible ways that are meaningful to our community. That type of funding and support is transformative.
3 Ways to Support Relief Efforts in Ukraine Right Now
We have added trusted organizations seeking support that have activated local and international relief efforts.
Points of Light will continue to provide updates on new and developing opportunities for support. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for updates on how you can help.
Points of Light and our Global Network stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine who are being impacted by attacks of war that are placing millions of lives at risk. As images of people fleeing their homes and seeking refuge are broadcast across screens around the globe, it’s natural to feel an urgency to help. You can have an impact, no matter where you are in the world. Below are three ways you can support relief efforts, as recommended by Points of Light and our Global Network disaster committee.
Donate. Research and give to a reputable international relief organization or one of our network affiliates listed below. Cash donations offer flexibility for organizations to respond in real time to people’s developing needs. Organizations are able to direct your dollars to the most-needed resources and put them in the hands of experienced responders, giving them the tools they need to help people recover. Do your research first so you can be sure that the organization you plan to support is legitimate. See our list below of trusted organizations.
Register to volunteer. While there is limited access for humanitarian relief efforts right now, working in in the aftermath can be both dangerous and complex. It’s crucial not to self-deploy. Until a need has been identified and the impacted community has requested support, volunteers should not enter. In the meantime, there may be opportunities to support relief efforts from home or in your community. Find a Points of Light Global Network affiliate in your area to learn how local organizations are responding to the events in Ukraine.
Be patient. The recovery process of any crisis or disaster can last much longer than the news cycle. There will be a persisting need for donations and volunteers for years to come. Stay informed by listening and learning to find out what the community needs. You can also use your voice by sharing on social media to raise awareness about long-term recovery needs.
When a crisis unfolds, we know that acting globally means acting locally. That’s why we look to elevate and support our most valuable resources in the region, our Global Network affiliates. Our affiliates in the vicinity of Ukraine are positioning themselves to respond to needs as they arise.
As natural disasters increase in frequency, we all express our deepest concern and compassion to all those affected, but sometimes that doesn’t feel like enough. Many of our Global Network affiliates and partners have mobilized to provide critical disaster relief services in many disasters, from emergency housing assistance to food and supply distribution.
Individuals throughout the nation and across the globe are searching for ways they can help support these relief efforts. Below we’ve included some tips for how you can maximize your contributions, provide help where it’s needed and keep from hindering the necessary emergency services in motion right now.
offers a holistic framework to help businesses, nonprofits and individuals to understand, identify and engage in the full scope of civic life. There is perhaps no better time to see the breadth of these various vehicles of engagement than during a crisis. Below are three ways you can make an impact and support relief efforts, as recommended by Points of Light and our Global Network disaster committee.
Want to donate? Donate cash. During a disaster, many people think the best way to help is to donate food, clothing or goods to those affected. But money is actually the most needed commodity in times of crisis, because it allows experienced responders the flexibility to obtain the exact resources needed. Numerous local and national organizations are assisting in the rescue and recovery efforts. Do your research thoroughly, as scams can unfortunately arise during natural disasters. Many nonprofit organizations make Amazon wish lists for donors during a natural disaster. This tool allows you to fill in a specific and immediate need for a disaster-affected community. To check if these are legitimate organizations, you can look them up on Charity Navigator to make sure donations and other efforts are going to those in need. Also, check with your employer and ask if they are able to match funds donated by employees. Corporations and organizations have immense potential to make an impact after a natural disaster. Many companies have existing donation-matching programs already in place, and others are happy to set up such a program for specific circumstances. Some of Points of Light’s recommended partners include HandsOn New Orleans, United Way of Acadiana, United Way of Southeast Louisiana, HandsOn River Region, American Red Cross, Good360, World Central Kitchenand Team Rubicon. Read more about impactful donations in the Donate issue of Civic Life Today.
Volunteer with an agency — not on your own.Volunteering locally during a crisis is an excellent way to provide boots-on-the-ground support. But don’t go it alone! Self-deploying in a disaster area is incredibly dangerous and you can inadvertently undermine the efforts of expert responders. Instead, support relief efforts by finding a Points of Light Global Network affiliate in your area, and wait until they ask for volunteer support. Many times, the most needed relief services with these organizations can happen remotely from your home.
Practice patience. Remember that recovery is a long (often multi-year) process. So if you feel like there’s little you can do right now, be patient. There will be volunteer and cash needs for many months, often years, after the disaster – especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period. Organizations that specialize in disaster relief tend to lose donations and volunteer support as time passes, so they’ll be glad to have as many people as possible stick around for the long haul. Stay informed by listening and learning to find out what the community needs and meet them where they are. And in the meantime, share on social media to use your voice to raise awareness about the disaster relief and long-term recovery needs.
For anyone impacted directly or indirectly by a natural disaster, the national Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) offers 24/7 crisis & emotional support to anyone in the U.S. impacted by natural or human-caused disasters/traumatic events. Callers to the DDH 1-800-985-5990 can connect with counselors in 100+ languages via 3rd party interpretation services.
Follow us on social media @PointsofLight for updates from Points of Light and our Global Network affiliates.
3 Ways to Support Relief Efforts in Haiti and Afghanistan
Points of Light and our Global Network stand in compassionate solidarity with those impacted by the events in Haiti and Afghanistan. We value that acting globally means acting locally and have already seen our affiliates respond to pressing needs, from providing refugee housing assistance to organizing donation drives in their local communities and more.
In the immediate aftermath of any natural disaster or upheaval, we know that you may want to step up to help. Below are three ways you can make an impact and support relief efforts,
as recommended by Points of Light and our Global Network disaster committee.
Cash is best. Research and donate to a reputable international relief organization. Cash gives agencies the most flexibility in obtaining the most-needed resources, and a donation helps to put experienced responders on the ground, giving them the tools they need to help people recover. It’s also important to avoid charity scams, and background research can help make sure that your donation goes to a legitimate organization.
Register to volunteer with a responding agency. Do not self-deploy and don’t underestimate the complexity of working in a disaster area. Until a need has been identified and the community impacted has requested support, volunteers should not enter. There may also be opportunities to support disaster relief efforts from home or in your local community. Find a Points of Light Global Network affiliate in your area to learn how local organizations are responding to the events in Haiti and Afghanistan.
Be patient. Recovery lasts a lot longer than the media attention around international events. There will be volunteer and cash needs for many months, often years, after the disaster – especially when the community enters the long-term recovery period. Continue to monitor relief efforts and the organizations responding to the events so you’ll be ready to take action and connect to an opportunity when the need arises.
Follow us on social media @PointsofLight for updates from Points of Light and our Global Network affiliates.
Creating Connection With Spark the Change Colorado and Samen voor Eindoven
A global movement for good requires the power of volunteerism, service and civic engagement. And that’s exactly what Points of Light Global Network affiliate
is on a mission to do: spark change and inspire a movement of good, leading to a world with stronger, more resilient, equitable and connected communities through the power of volunteerism.
Spark the Change provides direct services and volunteer programs, as well as resources, training and support for organizations and community leaders. Kelly Groen, director of Spark the Change’s Mental Wellness Program, talked to us about their unique mental health initiative.
Spark the Change Colorado volunteers put in the work needed to convert the Denver Coliseum into a women’s shelter at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Our mission for the Mental Wellness Program is to connect licensed and insured mental health professionals who volunteer their time and expertise to low-income Coloradans in need of counseling,” she said. “First, we connect volunteer private practitioners to pro bono clients through our private practice referral line. Second, we operate a host site model, where we place a volunteer professional at an established host site, such as a school, shelter or nonprofit, to provide mental health support to clients and staff at the site.”
Most often, barriers to mental health are financial or related to accessibility within traditional avenues. Spark the Change’s clients are often unable to afford treatment due to being uninsured or being unable to afford deductibles or copays. Many clients are also unable to find an appropriate or available clinician through other avenues of care.
“Through our host site model, we’re also able to lend support to the clients being served by other leaders of service in our communities,” says Kelly. “We form partnerships with schools, shelters and service nonprofits across the state, working in tandem to find a volunteer who can meet the unique needs of their population. Volunteers are placed within these organizations free of charge, to better support the mental health needs of clients and staff. We provide services to individuals, couples, families and groups, and our volunteers serve clients of all ages.”
From helping with issues like anxiety and depression to stress management, grief, loss, family issues and coping with life changes, Spark the Change’s Mental Wellness Program is making mental health a priority — in a time when these types of issues are front and center.
Spark the Change Colorado partners with Harvest Pack to provide days of service, packing hundreds of meals for those in need. Events have been transformed to accommodate social distancing, PPE and all health and safety protocols so volunteers can feel safe while giving back.
in Eindhoven, Netherlands, is the bridge between companies, social organizations and the local government to work toward a more cohesive and inclusive society. Samen voor Eindoven means “Together for Eindhoven” and the organization works to design and implement corporate volunteer programs.
“Corporate volunteers embrace our values and are committed to making a vital contribution to our local community. By using their professional skills and talents for community organizations, corporate volunteers themselves experience more meaning and job satisfaction,” says Esther Hofstede, founder and director of Samen voor Eindoven.
Through the use of smart technology, Samen voor Eindoven is able to mobilize corporate volunteers through a digital platform, maximizing efficiency, impact and flexibility. Social volunteers can enroll in recurring calendar programs and skill-based programs.
Corporate volunteers engage with initiatives like donating “wishtrees” to almost all 23 nursing homes in Eindhoven, creating a website for Eindhoven residents with foreign roots, making video calls to people who are currently unable to go outside and publishing a “feel good newsletter” with only positive news, sent to elderly residents of nursing homes.
More than 10,000 vulnerable people in Eindhoven were provided with vitamin A during the pandemic, which included providing company over a socially distanced meal.
“It turns out that when you really put corporate volunteers in touch with groups in need, there is more understanding and the gap between the groups is reduced,” Esther says. She encourages increased corporate volunteering, which she calls “a win-win: impact for the beneficiaries and volunteers, substance for the Corporate Social Responsibility policy of companies, and a more attractive workplace for involved employees.”
Kelly Groen at Spark the Change Colorado encourages volunteers to get involved: “While there are countless ways to make an impact, including mindful recognition of your individual purchase power and using your voice and vote to make a difference, volunteerism will always be a necessary cornerstone of civic engagement. There are a multitude of benefits to volunteerism, both to the community being served and the individual serving. There is no comparison to the feeling you get from giving your time and talents to improve the lives of other members in your community.”
Environmental Responsibility and Individual Impact with HandsOn Bay Area and TriesteAltruista
As residents of this planet, we’re all responsible for taking care of the earth. We can contribute on an individual level — through recycling, garbage clean-ups, and donating to related organizations — and on a larger scale, like through driving environmental policy changes.
Environmental activism is a pillar issue for many nonprofit organizations. One of the ways
, a Points of Light Global Network affiliate, helps in this area is by empowering individuals to care for their physical environment through volunteering.
HandsOn Bay Area’s mission statement is “People Helping People™.” What that means in practice is that the nonprofit organizes and manages people power to make the community stronger, safer and more fair. This happens in deep partnership with over 300 nonprofits, schools and parks and with individual volunteers.
“Through our network of nonprofits we serve every issue area important to the community,” Lou Reda, executive director at HandsOn Bay Area, told us. “We have volunteers serving less resourced populations around hunger relief, education and job readiness. We have volunteers serving the needs of people who have disabilities. We have volunteers serving the needs of folks who are homebound and isolated. We have volunteers serving to help reverse the damage that has been done to the environment and much more!”
According to Lou, the secret sauce to volunteering is that the volunteer receives just as much benefit as the people being served. Volunteering makes individuals feel like they are part of the intricate fabric that binds a community together and makes it healthy.
Volunteers prune roses to promote the growth of new flowers.
Across the pond,
, another Points of Light Global Network affiliate, is helping promote volunteering and the spread of altruism and solidarity in Italy. The nonprofit aims to mobilize large numbers of citizens in voluntary initiatives within their reach to respond to the needs of the city of Trieste.
For this reason, TristeAltruista not only guides aspiring volunteers in finding the project that suits them best, but also helps its partner organizations in finding volunteers with the right characteristics to achieve, and if possible, expand their goals. As Trieste is a coastal city, a large part of their work is cleaning up the shoreline. Every year they hold a “Cicca Day” to collect and dispose of cigarette butts on the beach.
TriesteAltruista helps individuals practice their natural “altruism.” For example, beginning in 2018 TriesteAltruista partnered with area organizations to launch the environmental and neighborhood volunteer project “PonzianAltruista.” This project’s aim was to tidy up and care for an abandoned green area inside the suburb of Ponziana, while directly involving the inhabitants.
This district exists in an area with as many as 34% of families made up of elderly women living alone. There is high socio-economic hardship, strong presence of multi-problematic subjects and deterioration of the common spaces. To date, more than 100 volunteers have participated in the project and the project managers who supervise and coordinate volunteers are inhabitants of the neighborhood. About 20 non-profit organizations have contributed with aggregation activities and the resulting gardens will be used by the neighborhood elementary schools horticulture courses, too.
Federico Bonfanti, president at TriesteAltruista, believes that volunteering is part of a civically engaged life in that it concretely immerses individuals in the various needs of their community. “Without volunteering, and therefore direct experience, issues remain a little too theoretical and individuals lack experiential awareness of the city’s reality,” he said.
Andino Castellano, vice-president and founder at TriesteAltruista, encourages volunteers to get involved and be aware that their actions will improve the lives of others and their environment: “A volunteer gesture costs little but is worth a lot, especially if it becomes a lifestyle. You can be an active rather than passive witness of this change.”
HandsOn Bay Area’s Lou Reda says, “For people who want to volunteer I say, don’t hold back. There is a tendency towards perfectionism that gets in the way of service. Just jump in and do what is needed now, regardless of whether you think you are the right person for the role or not. If you are there and you can help then you are the right person.”
Connect with HandsOn Bay Area on
Tackling Poverty and Inequality With HandsOn Northwest North Carolina and HandsOn Mexico
Serving those who are living through poverty or inequality has long been a focus of the volunteer sector. Many nonprofits concentrate their efforts on getting resources to those in poverty and working to build a more equitable world for those bearing the brunt of discriminatory, unjust or incomplete systems.
A Project Lighthouse volunteer delivers donated items to a local food pantry.
(HandsOn NWNC), a Points of Light Global Network affiliate, mobilizes people and organizations that inspire community change. Working with approximately 500 different nonprofits in a six-county area, HandsOn NWNC provides organizations with a wide variety of services that help them meet the challenge of their missions in the most effective and efficient way possible.
This includes offering leadership and professional development opportunities to staff and volunteers at all levels of the organization, as well as engaging and mobilizing approximately 5,000 volunteers a year in service across the network.
Amy Lytle, executive director at HandsOn NWNC, says, “We work with
everyone
; there is no age requirement to serve! We work with organizations large and small, and our network reaches out beyond our smaller-sized city to some of the more rural counties that surround Winston-Salem, NC. We work with companies, the school system, civic and religious groups. In terms of the organizations in our network, the vast majority of them are smaller or mid-sized, many of which serve a variety of marginalized communities and/or are led by people of color.”
Amy and the team at HandsOn NWNC are focused on building racial equity in volunteering in particular. At the end of 2020, they launched an ED Roundtable for organizations led by people of color. This self-directed and organized group is currently led by a participant volunteer leader, who is the founder of a small nonprofit that focuses on health, wellness and access to healthy food in her neighborhood.
Kelees, a 3-year-old volunteer, helps out at the Kimberley Park Community Garden.
With support from the Starbucks Foundation and Points of Light, the Roundtable is just one way that HandsOn NWNC tries to support smaller, grassroots organizations and increase racial equity within both the local nonprofit sector as well as the community.
From larger efforts like the Roundtable to local efforts with individuals, HandsOn NWNC is making an impact in the fight against poverty and inequality. Take Rosa Johnson, for example, one of the volunteer leaders that HandsOn NWNC works with. Rosa has single-handedly created a small urban community garden across the street from a local Title 1 school. Over the past year, HandsOn NWNC has formed a relationship with Rosa and has come alongside her to help mobilize additional resources — including donations and volunteers — to help make the garden more sustainable.
Amy Lytle says, “Service has the power to unite people across differences and increase social capital; it builds empathy and can inform other forms of civic engagement, such as voting and public policy advocacy. Service can transform individual lives while also working to change systemic issues.”
A group of young people, members of an NGO partner and an international volunteer accepted the challenge to collect cigarette butts in order to reduce water pollution and to prevent drains from clogging.
, exists to inspire, motivate and support people interested in investing their time to improve the quality of life for disadvantaged people, animals and the environment. By connecting people with organizations related to their interests and skills and promoting programs, events and campaigns to highlight what people are doing for their communities, they uplift and inspire others to get involved.
Blanca Ramírez, acting executive director at HandsOn Mexico, shares a few notable projects. “Recently we worked in conjunction with the YMCA to support a group that lives in a rural area of the city called Ajusco. In this particular neighborhood, it is fairly common to find young people using drugs or who are part of criminal groups. The YMCA decided to build a community center to provide more options for the local youth and their families to spend their free time. We contributed to projects such as restoring the community center, building a garden and creating a soccer field. The community center also provides leadership development services, activities and workshops to guide people in how to start their own business.”
HandsOn Mexico is working to tackle poverty in creative ways, too. The nonprofit works with a community organization in Xochimilco, initially collaborating with the Umbral Axochiatl organization to clean the canals and remove plastic waste. The villagers welcomed the volunteers and encouraged them to continue caring for the area. The objective, in addition to maintaining a clean natural space to create the right environmental characteristics to revive the axolotl, a native animal, is for the inhabitants to return to work their lands in a sustainable way. This involves using the natural resources that the area offers, resuming ancestral techniques and inviting scientists to implement best practices that allow obtaining organic products and recovering some native crops that were being lost.
HandsOn Mexico worked with a corporate group to clean the canals in Xochimilco.
Thus, the Xochimilco inhabitants became small businesspeople, forming a group called “Grupo Tlacuache.” This project created an interdependent cycle in which the environment is conserved through the sustainable commercialization of the natural resources of the area and the economic income for the families in the area is improved.
Blanca Ramírez advises people to “include time in your schedule for volunteering at least once per month. It’s worth spending time on a cause you care about. Every other activity you do in your life will be more meaningful if you volunteer often.” And to other nonprofit leaders, she says, “Remember that your work is impacting more lives than you imagine. Your effort is inspiring others and changing lives. That donation, that activity you organized where people met new friends living in different circumstances than theirs, is making a difference in the beneficiaries’ lives as well as in the volunteers’ lives.”
HandsOn NWNC’s Amy Lytle also has words of encouragement for volunteers and nonprofit leaders: “If you’re interested in volunteering, JUST DO IT! There are so many ways to get involved, no matter your passions, your skill set or your time limitations. There is a project or an opportunity out there for you. For nonprofit leaders — YOU’RE DOING GREAT! You’ve just reached the one year mark of working through the front-lines of a global pandemic. Whatever you’re doing, it is enough. Be kind to yourself, provide grace to others, and ask for help when you need it. You owe it to your mission and your stakeholders to not burn yourself out trying to accomplish the impossible.”
“Pause and take stock of your gifts, talents and experience, including the good, bad and ugly,” says Melissa Kwee, NVPC’s CEO, to anyone looking to become more civically engaged. “Use this as fodder to find your 
How daunting was it to take on a project like 
