Honoring Dr. King’s Legacy Through Community Volunteerism
As the largest national day of service, MLK Day is valued as a day “on,” not a day off – an opportunity to reflect on the gains we have made, and re-commit ourselves to addressing contemporary issues facing our nation through meaningful civic dialogue and community volunteerism.
Each year on the third Monday in January, millions around the country unite in service to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King. And in communities around the country, Points of Light Network affiliates start the year off in the spirit of volunteerism and service, creating hundreds of opportunities for individuals, families, nonprofits and business to work together to build stronger, more resilient communities. This year, we want to shine a light on five affiliate organizations that not only brought together thousands of volunteers on MLK Day of Service, but are also committed to carrying forward Dr. King’s legacy all year round.
Hands On Atlanta
Hands On Atlanta provides diverse and unique service opportunities for its community, including arts and culture, youth and family services and hunger and homelessness projects. For MLK Day weekend, Hands On Atlanta brought together nonprofits, individuals, families and schools to honor Dr. King’s legacy and his vision of the “Beloved Community.” The organization engaged more than 2,000 volunteers to serve at 32 projects across metro Atlanta, participating in a diverse and impactful series of events at local nonprofits and schools.
At Truly Living Well, volunteers helped winterize fruit trees, composted and helped clean a pond. With a pop-up letter writing station outside of the King Center, participants joined the Atlanta Legends football team to craft encouraging messages for Atlanta public school teachers. Volunteers helped create a large mural at Frederick Douglass High School; sorted diapers and bundled clothing at Helping Mamas; and helped organize supplies for classes at the Amani Women’s Center, which gives refugee women a place to work and learn.
Jersey Cares
As a leader in volunteerism in New Jersey, Jersey Cares envisions a community in which everyone is motivated and empowered to make a positive difference. Since its founding in 1993, the organization has been engaging volunteers in rewarding and effective efforts that address local community needs. Each year on MLK Day of Service, Jersey Cares brings together people of all ages across the state to build a stronger New Jersey and give life to the words spoken by Dr. King, “Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve.”
This year, more than 3,000 volunteers engaged in more than 7,000 hours of service. Volunteer projects included revitalizing schools with organization and beautification activities, creating bravery award kits for children of deployed military parents, building birthday-in-a-bag kits for children who spend their birthdays in a shelter, and giggle bags for children in hospitals.
OneOC
Accelerating nonprofit success is the core mission of OneOc. For more than 60 years, the organization has provided volunteer opportunities, training and consulting for nonprofits across the Orange County, California, area to help them become as efficient and effective as they are passionate about their mission. OneOC celebrated its 20th year of honoring Dr. King on MLK Day of Service, and made it a “day on” through meaningful service opportunities for their community.
This year, OneOC partnered with the Orange County Food Bank in Garden Grove, California, to offer volunteer opportunities for individuals, groups, families and companies to address the critical issue of hunger in the community. More than 1,460 volunteers, including 64 family volunteer groups, participated and packed more than 12,000 boxes of food that will be distributed to low-income community members in need.
United Way of Central Carolinas
When neighbors help neighbors, people from all walks of life can solve the most difficult local problems and build stronger communities. That is the mission of United Way of Central Carolinas, as they focus on education, health and financial stability for every member of their community. Each year, the organization turns this spirit of service into an opportunity to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with family-friendly projects for hundreds of volunteers.
The organization’s MLK Day projects not only deliver valuable assistance to nonprofits, schools and other service providers, but they also allow participants to start the new year by reflecting on the meaning of Dr. King’s life of service. This year, the United Way hosted four project sites around the Charlotte area, where more than 1,000 volunteers came together to answer Dr. King’s call to serve. Volunteers made more than 200 crib blankets for new families in need, created more than 1,000 alphabet and number sets for students, wrote hundreds of encouragement cards for seniors, and created materials geared towards early childhood literacy. Whether it’s the needs of an entire neighborhood or simply the needs one family has tomorrow, United Way of Central Carolinas is dedicated to bringing volunteers together to help their community reach its full potential.
Volunteer Memphis
For more than 40 years, Volunteer Memphis has been connecting people with opportunities to serve their community. Volunteers are at work every day of the year tutoring and mentoring children, helping individuals and families make pathways out of poverty and create environmental conservation opportunities.
For its third annual MLK Day weekend, Volunteer Memphis partnered with more than 30 community groups to facilitate more than 100 projects that united residents in making a difference. Projects included outdoor clean-ups, tree planting, distributions of clothing to homeless populations, and mentorship activities with MENTOR. More than 2,000 volunteers collected more than 100 bags of trash, planted more than 40 trees, put hundreds of much-needed items into the hands of the homeless, and collected thousands of tires that will be recycled into one of the longest porous trails in the world. “We answered Dr. King’s call to serve and make a difference in the lives of all Mid-South residents,” said Andrea Hill, director of Volunteer Memphis. “Volunteer service is a powerful tool that unites us around a common purpose and builds strong communities.”
Creating a Caring Community for Volunteers of All Ages
“Alone we can do so little. Together we can do so much.” HandsOn Hong Kong, a Points of Light Network affiliate, brings to life these words from Helen Keller – tackling their most pressing social needs by mobilizing and empowering every member of their community to make a difference through volunteer service.
Since its founding in 2007,
has been working to create service opportunities for every cause and volunteer. Whatever your passion may be, HandsOn Hong Kong makes it easy to search its inclusive volunteer calendar to find service projects for people of all ages. From homelessness, refugee and asylum seeker support, to disability inclusion and food insecurity, the organization is turning every day of the week into an opportunity for individuals and families to give back.
The organization is dedicated to making volunteering more accessible and rewarding in Hong Kong, where research shows that finding new family-friendly volunteer opportunities often feels limited, according to
. According to Catherine Dannaoui, head of communications for HandsOn Hong Kong, it is common for charities to prefer adults over children due to assumed physical limitations. The organization is combatting this misconception by pouring more resources and energy into their affiliates’ understanding of the power of family volunteering. With support from The Walt Disney Company, they give awareness talks and share family volunteering opportunities with schools across the community.
“Our youth are the future stewards of the city,” said Catherine. “If we don’t instill in them this stewardship of service, we can’t move forward. We want them to be the next generation of volunteers, and we want family volunteering to be important everywhere.”
Volunteers have responded with great support, especially on Family Volunteer Day — a global day of service that celebrates the power of families who work together to improve their communities and neighborhoods. This year, HandsOn Hong Kong led four Family Volunteer Day projects. At their biggest event at Kennedy School in Pokfulam, 180 volunteers upcycled unwanted materials like T-shirts into mats, keychains, potholders, coasters and a large community rug. The textile industry is the second biggest contributor to pollution in Hong Kong, and unwanted materials usually end up in overly populated landfills; thanks to HandsOn Hong Kong, these materials were turned into usable items that were donated to community centers and senior centers.
Each year, HandsOn Hong Kong engages more than 47,000 volunteers, and runs more than 100 volunteer programs each month. It works alongside nonprofit partners and community-minded corporations to create a caring community that gives its time and talent to transform Hong Kong. Opportunities to volunteer with the organization are many and varied, but key family-friendly programs are central to its work.
ImpactHK, is a nonprofit that HandsOn Hong Kong supports with volunteers almost every day of the year. Its mission is to support Hong Kong’s homeless through kindness with the aim of giving them a true second chance — the first step is to reach out to them through “kindness walks.” Every day of the week, up to 10 volunteers hand out water and snacks, and encourage homeless people to go to their local community center to start a plan towards reintegration into society. Volunteers are able to build trust, which is a pivotal step in helping homeless citizens navigate a path towards rehabilitation.
HandsOn Hong Kong also equips volunteers to give back to the elderly. In Hong Kong, one in three people over the age of 65 live in poverty and become more susceptible to depression, anxiety and loneliness. During the winter season, HandsOn Hong Kong connects volunteers with struggling elderly populations through its signature Soup for the Elderly program, spreading warmth and love to seniors through home visits and soup deliveries.
In addition to working alongside community volunteers and nonprofits, HandsOn Hong Kong helps corporations engage in service opportunities through custom volunteer programs. For example, the organization assists L’Oreal Paris with its annual Citizen Day program, a day-long volunteering event across the globe, by bringing numerous service projects in Hong Kong to life. They also connect employees from Fossil Group to schools where they takeover a school for a day and lead art workshops, create hygiene products and other educational activities.
And each year on International Volunteer Day, HandsOn Hong Kong hosts a breakfast to celebrate their volunteers’ efforts, share their values and promote their work among their community. The organization is raising awareness of Hong Kong’s pressing social needs – and ensuring inclusive access to volunteer opportunities, so everyone can take part in improving their community.
“We will do everything we can to empower and equip our community members with the skills they need to be lifted up and succeed,” said Catherine. “We will continue to support every kind of cause you can imagine.”
Volunteers Help Make the American Dream Possible for New York City Youth
New York Cares is giving life to the concept of the American Dream. These words are not new; they symbolize a dream where hope and opportunity come together in a whimsical, yet transformational way. But this goal, often the driving force behind the paths we take in life, sometimes doesn’t feel attainable. That is where New York Cares steps in, especially when it comes to education.
Since its founding in 1987, New York Cares has focused on three key issue areas for volunteers to get involved in: education, immediate community needs, and public spaces, with programming focused on all types of schools, hunger initiatives and sustainable environments.
The College Access program includes SAT preparation, “sophomore skills” academic tutoring, college preparation and FAFSA preparation. The organization and the volunteers it mobilizes are there from beginning to end to walk alongside the future leaders of our country. They are heroes without the capes, giving teens the chance at a bright future.
“Many public high schools in New York City don’t have existing resources to prepare their students for college. New York Care’s College Access programs work with partners to provide free resources that support students as they navigate what might otherwise be an intimidating process, by preparing them with academic enrichment, aspiration, knowledge and planning so that they have the foundational skills needed to begin their college journey,” said Darline Lalanne, director of education and family programs. “Volunteers who give their time to help young adults prepare in the classroom, navigate the financial aid system or find the right college fit, can do wonders for a students’ college success.”
New York Cares is currently recruiting for college prep volunteers, but their largest volunteer need remains in the SAT prep sector. Approximately 400 volunteers are needed to assist students from low-income families – a demographic that tested 166 points below the average on last year’s SAT and 396 points behind their wealthiest peers, according to NationSwell.
The unique part about New York Cares is that its college access programs match a volunteer with the same student for the duration of the student’s yearly involvement. Students are able to develop trusting relationships with their volunteers, and the results of their test scores and confidence prove that the key to success doesn’t always lie in expensive test prep classes.
“Without New York Cares, I wouldn’t be the person I am sitting here today. New York Cares gave me the confidence and helped with the entire college application process,” said York, a student who moved to New York from China just three years ago. He participated in the sophomore skills, college prep and SAT prep programs, and moved forward to have an incredible score increase that resulted in being Hunter College bound.
New York Cares has countless stories of College Access program successes, but teens’ capacity of care doesn’t just stop at the numbers; the students participating in the program authentically appreciate their volunteers as individuals. “Even though he has a working job, like 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., he still values us as students and his volunteering job as a whole,” said Lemali, a participating student, about one of the program volunteers. “Some Saturdays we would come in and just talk about life, and volunteers would share their own personal stories, which helped us all.”
New York Cares realizes that it’s all about the students. From York to Lemali, and the other 20,000 students they have engaged, the true American Dream is becoming a reality. The idea may take different shapes and forms depending on who the dreamer is, but for those students who are looking for a path to college and a brighter future, their dreams are coming true.
Leading Change: A Discussion with Female Leaders in the Social Sector
“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” ― Malala Yousafzai
During Women’s History Month, anchored by International Women’s Day, we celebrate the unique leadership and contributions made by women across generations. There is something remarkable and yet unsurprising about recognizing the inspirational message of a young woman like Malala Yousafzai, who, at age 11 became an activist for education for girls, and at age 17 became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient.
During every age in history, women of every age have made history – some civically engaged as vocal leaders on issues they care about, and some as hidden figures whose contributions influence our lives today.
In celebration of the diversity of ways in which women lead a civic life, we brought together three nonprofit founders from around the world to share their experiences, talk about their work as part of the Points of Light Network, and offer advice to emerging women leaders who will continue to carry forward our collective mission.
Maya Angelou once said, “My mission in life is not merely to survive, but to thrive; and to do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor and some style.” Our three video-chat guests embrace and embody this mission.
Good Deeds Day is a global celebration that unites people from more than 100 countries to do good deeds for the benefit of others and the planet. Each year, hundreds of thousands put into practice the simple idea that every single person can do something good, be it large or small, to improve the lives of others and positively change the world. In the United States, Good Deeds Day kicks off National Volunteer Week.
No matter where you are planning to participate on April 15, here are some project ideas to inspire your good deeds!
Host a Book and Toy Drive
Put up a stand or a box in a public area where you’ll be collecting donations. Promote your event – post online, put signs up and let everyone know that you’ll be collecting books and toys for donation to children. If you’re doing this in your office or school, we suggest emailing everyone to let them know where and when you’ll be taking donations, or placing a box in different public places for multiple donation points. Donate everything you receive to a school, community center or children’s hospital of your choice for an amazing impact!
Source: Good Deeds Day
Document Life Stories
Help document the life stories of elderly people in your neighborhood. Find an elderly person with an interesting life story – if you don’t know any neighbors that could use this service, you can contact a local nursing home or elderly center to match you up with an interesting resident. Meet up with them and let them tell you their life’s story, what they’ve been through, their childhood, etc. Document the occasion – take photos or even a video, write down the story or record the session. After writing and editing it, create a printed version or a CD/DVD with the result to give to them and their families as a heartwarming present.
Create a Pop-up Library
Build a pop-up library and invite your community to donate and take books. A great way to meet fellow readers! Find a neighborhood that does not have a library, yet has a facility or free space that can be turned into one. This doesn’t have to be a huge space – if you can fit a few shelves or a small cupboard, it works perfectly. If the place needs an overhaul – painting, fixing, cleaning and/or equipment – ask for donated materials and recruit volunteers to help in renovations. Encourage community members to donate used books they don’t read anymore and just have around the house – print posters or spread word of your library online to let everyone know where they can donate their books. Celebrate the library launch with the community, host an event or a fun story time for kids.
Source: Good Deeds Day/Credit: Fernando Tribino
Organize an Outdoor Cleanup Project
Many parks and natural spots could use some cleaning. Locate a park or nature reserve that could benefit from cleaning and care. Bring bags to collect waste, gloves and water for your volunteers and, if you expect a large amount of trash, a truck for waste disposal. Recruit volunteers for the project – advertise the need for volunteers through cross-community platforms and community centers.The results will definitely benefit all passersby and inhabitants!
Promote a Development Goal
Browse through the list of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and choose an SDG (or multiple!) that is closest to your heart and most relevant for your community. Choose an activity raising awareness for the goal you chose and promoting different ways the community can make it better – for example:
for goal #3 – good health and well being – do a blood donation stand in cooperation with your local hospital
for goal #4 – quality education – host a book drive and donate the books to a local school or organization
for goal #15 – life on land – plant trees with your friends to fight deforestation
The options are endless! Consult the Get Ideas page on the Good Deeds Day website for more inspiration. Ready to make a difference? Registration for Good Deeds Day is now open! Let us know what you’ll be doing to make the world a better place on April 15, 2018.
Connecting Atlanta Volunteers with Opportunities to ‘Do Something Good,’ on MLK Day and Beyond
“Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. … You only need a heart full of grace, a soul generated by love.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Each year on the third Monday in January, friends, family, coworkers and neighbors come together in communities across the nation to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. through acts of service. The largest national day of service, MLK Day is an opportunity for all of us to reflect on gains won during the Civil Rights Movement and to address contemporary issues facing our nation through meaningful civic dialogue and community volunteerism.
At
, a Points of Light affiliate, it is also an opportunity to celebrate Dr. King in the city where he was born and raised. Founded nearly 30 years ago, in 1989, Hands On Atlanta’s mission is to “tackle greater Atlanta’s most pressing needs by igniting a passion for service and creating life-long community volunteers.” Engaging volunteers year-round in programs focused on youth and families, education, hunger and homelessness, their work breathes new life into Dr. King’s vision of neighbors working together for the betterment of their communities, and our world.
“We’re the volunteer hub for the city of Atlanta,” said Tim Adkins, director of marketing and communications at Hands On Atlanta. “Like most other affiliates in the Points of Light Network, our job is to connect changemakers – you know, volunteers – to nonprofits and schools in need. We engage about 20,000 volunteers every year, over the course of 150,000 service hours with projects that we have
anniversary of Dr. King’s assassination, which occurred April 4, 1968, in Memphis, Tennessee. At the time, he was focused on a project he called the Poor People’s Campaign, which sought to address income inequality. To mark the anniversary, this year Hands On Atlanta partnered with
and committed to “50 Acts of Service” – 30 projects to be done on the MLK Day holiday, and 20 more to be completed between January and April.
“Dr. King’s commitment to service and helping others is at the core of our work. Like Dr. King, we also believe that, ‘everyone can be great, because anyone can serve.’ As the needs for Atlanta continue to grow, the demand for volunteers is greater than ever, and it’s our job to connect our network of volunteers to our nonprofit partners and schools who need their help,” said Tim. “Going big for MLK Day is a way for us to honor Dr. King’s legacy while showcasing the work with do 365 days a year.”
At parks and schools, nature preserves and underserved neighborhoods, hundreds of volunteers built benches, planted gardens, maintained trails, painted and beautified communal spaces. Still others volunteered at food pantries and community outreach organizations, organizing donations, assembling lunches for school children, boxing and delivering meals to seniors – and so much more. In total, Hands On Atlanta engaged more than 1,800 volunteers, who gave nearly 5,000 hours of their time on MLK Day.
Longtime volunteer Donnis Davis sorted and distributed food to pre-screened families in need.
“The coolest thing about it is the church where the food distribution program is held was once led by Ralph David Abernathy (a close colleague of Martin Luther King),” said Donnis. Dr. King had visited West Hunter Street Baptist Church, he said, and the congregation is proud to be affiliated with Ralph Abernathy.
Donnis, a finance manager for a local car dealership, has volunteered with Hands On Atlanta for 20 years, doing everything from painting houses and schools to packaging and distributing food, to planting gardens and doing landscaping.
This year, as part of Hands On Atlanta’s Civic Leadership Program, Donnis is committed to a yearlong partnership with Southwest Ecumenical Emergency Assistance Center, a group of churches that addresses hunger, unemployment and health. It offers a monthly food distribution program, a weekly food pantry and regular classes in job interviewing skills. A clothing closet provides business attire for people who can’t afford to buy a new outfit for an interview.
For Donnis, whose large family has always been active in church in community, volunteering gives him the “chance to do something positive with so negative stuff going on in the world.”
“It’s basically like therapy,” said Davis, who adds that volunteering has helped him improve his organizational and communication skills. “It’s made me more open-minded and empathetic.”
Sunday Suppers
A newer initiative of Hands On Atlanta is the Signature Sunday Supper event. Since 2015, corporate and community leaders have gathered for dinner on the Sunday before the King Holiday. Speakers lead discussion about topics pertinent to Dr. King’s mission – acknowledging that many of these problems continue to exist today.
“We want to have an open and honest conversation about possible solutions,” said Tim. “Hands On Atlanta wants to be able to lead those conversations.”
, a Points of Light program, is inspired by Dr. King’s vision that people of diverse backgrounds would come together to discuss injustices of the day and create a plan for action. The events, which can be hosted by organizations and individuals alike, call people to share a meal and engage in dialogue about issues affecting their communities.
This year, about 250 people attended the Hands On Atlanta Signature Sunday Supper at The Gathering Spot. Speakers included Nathaniel Smith, founder and CEO of the Partnership for Southern Equity; Dedrick Asante-Muhammad, senior fellow, racial wealth divide, with Prosperity Now; Natalye Paquin, CEO of Points of Light; and Lori George Billingsley, vice president of community relations at Coca-Cola North America. Cheryl Preheim, evening anchor with 11Alive news, was the emcee. The livestream of the event, which was shared on Facebook, received more than 50,000 views nationwide – from Atlanta, to Tacoma, Washington, to Chicago and New Jersey.
In addition, individuals throughout Atlanta were invited to host their own Sunday Suppers, in conjunction with Civic Dinners, an organization that provides a template for discussion topics. Hosts were urged to invite guests with different points of view.
Rachel Sprecher was excited to host a Sunday Supper, along with her husband and three other couples in their late 20s or early 30s.
“I think it’s great, and something we probably don’t do enough of – get together with like-minded, action-oriented peers to talk about issues,” said Rachel. “I really like the idea of having 50 of them, celebrating the legacy of Dr. King. I like that at the same time, on the same night, this will be happening all over Atlanta.”
Rachel also works with Hands On Atlanta through her job with Atlanta Public Schools, where she is executive director in the district’s office of partnerships and development. “Hands On Atlanta recruits volunteers to do projects at our schools,” she explained. “They do beautification projects; they do Saturday programming for our students, help with tutoring and mentoring – pretty much anything we need, they step up and volunteer.”
With MLK Day behind them, the team at Hands On Atlanta looks forward to doing more good in 2018. Their year-round programming focuses on the impact areas of youth development, family support and self-sufficiency, and education – 75% of all volunteer opportunities available through Hands On Atlanta focus on education and youth hunger.
, a popular “Saturday School” program, provides tutoring and homework help, STEM enrichment, health and wellness activities, and more. Building on the success of the initiative, the organization has developed programming to give parents the tools and resources for their kids to be successful, including the
program that provides weekend backpacks filled with food. And this year, says Tim, Hands On Atlanta will launch a new “at work” program for employers to engage their employees in the parenting skills needed to ensure their children are developing literacy skills.
How Volunteer Organizations Across the Globe are Fighting Hunger, Providing Warmth During Cold Winter Months
Collecting warm coats for those in need sounds like a blast from the past – an age-old concept straight from a Charles Dickens novel. But wintry winds still squall and recent economic times have dramatically increased the number of homeless people and others in need of warm clothing.
At the same time, people are busier than ever and often struggling to get by themselves. Many are wary of giving money or their time to charities.
That’s why savvy charitable organizations are blasting out new ways to button down the practice of helping others. For example, coat drives are being staged in busy commuter stations, at work and at school, where people have to be anyway. The idea caught on so well in London that it’s spreading to several other cities in the United Kingdom.
Nonprofits are also cooking up better ways to feed the hungry and making it easier to distribute toys for Christmas.
In New York and Rome, fresh, healthy vegetables are joining cans and boxes of nonperishables at food pantries. New York teenagers compete in “Un-Hunger Games” to collect food donations. And in New Jersey, residents are flocking online to buy the exact toy a needy child wants with the click of a mouse, arranging for delivery by Amazon.
Nonprofit organizations that coordinate volunteer projects have embraced the Internet to allow people to browse online and click on opportunities that fit their busy schedules and interests. Social media is being used to spread the word about legitimate ways to help others and to showcase the results. Heartwarming photos are posted, further encouraging the generosity.
During this year’s holiday season, we are proud to shine a spotlight on four Points of Light Network affiliate organizations – each engaged in innovative charitable work that couldn’t be done without dedicated volunteers: Jersey Cares and Volunteer New York! in the United States, and Hands On London and RomAltruista in Europe.
Improved Coat Drives
Wrap Up London, a 7-year-old project of Hands On London, sets up coat donation areas each November in Tube (underground transit) stations, where commuters donated 20,846 coats this year.
Amy Grant, a volunteer with Wrap Up London, says the method resonates with busy working people.
“I was first drawn to the cause because the premise is so brilliant in its simplicity,” Amy said. “Wrap Up London doesn’t ask for money – I love shouting that out when I’m volunteering at a Tube station – and almost everyone has an old coat they can part with.”
The idea proved contagious. Wrap Up Manchester is now in its second year, collecting 1,575 coats this season. Two more cities in the United Kingdom started drives this year: Wrap Up Birmingham (687 coats) and Wrap Up Glasgow (1,000 coats). Now, the city of Nottingham wants its own coat drive, too.
Jon Meech, CEO of Hands On London and project team leader, said the gift of a coat can open the door to other social services for struggling people.
“We know that at this time of year, many people turn up to support services with little other than what they are standing up in,” said Jon. “This is particularly the case for young people finding themselves homeless and women escaping domestic violence, although the lack of warm clothing is an issue for all vulnerable groups. For those living on the streets during the winter, outerwear does not last long.”
Though many nonprofits receive donations of food and clothing throughout the year, they typically do not receive many winter coats, according to Jon. “One women’s refuge commented this year that prior to knowing about Wrap Up London, they were forced to fundraise for the purchase of secondhand coats from thrift shops,” he said. Since Wrap Up London started in 2011, Hands On London has collected and distributed 102,027 warm coats.
Social media and mass transit proved to be key elements in expanding Wrap Up London to other cities in the UK.
The initiative caught the attention of Samra Said, UK programmes manager for Human Appeal – an international relief agency focused on providing humanitarian aid and eradicating poverty – who reached out to Hands On London via Twitter. The Wrap Up London program, said Samra, “embeds our core message of helping the most vulnerable people survive the winter.”
Hands On London provided a license for Human Appeal to use the trademarked “Wrap Up” program name, and extended thorough training and advice to help them launch the initiative, first in Manchester and then in Glasgow and Birmingham. They also negotiated local storage for Human Appeal through some of Hands On London’s corporate partners. Branding, campaign messages and dates are consistent across all four cities.
“At Human Appeal, we believe together we are stronger and we enhance that by working in partnership rather than overlapping,” said Samra.
Wrap Up Manchester also found success in appealing to commuters. It partnered with Network Rail to bring the campaign to Manchester Piccadilly station – collecting 600 coats in three days from Nov. 13-15. Non-commuters could also donate coats to selected self-storage centers across Manchester, Glasgow and Birmingham.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, Jersey Cares, an organization that links volunteers with worthy causes throughout the state of New Jersey, has held its fall coat drive for 22 years – but staff say they’ve never seen a response like this year, both in the volume of coats donated, and the number of businesses, Scouts and other groups holding collections.
“Just today, we had somebody sign up,” said Vanessa Martinez, Jersey Cares service events manager, on the final day of the event. “Some people who didn’t sign up still want to participate.”
Jersey Cares has been sharing eye-catching photos on social media to remind the public how “cool” winter giving can be. One ad shows the Statue of Liberty shivering without a coat as snowflakes swirl; another shows a cat poking its head from a parka.
“Our social media reach has grown over the past year,” notes Michelle Dee, vice president of external affairs for Jersey Cares. “We try to post pictures of kids getting coats. We talk about how a coat is not a luxury – it’s a senior being able to walk to the store to get medicine on a cold day – people are really able to make that connection.”
Michelle adds that corporate interest has also grown. “We’ve also seen a lot more businesses getting the word out, as well as large corporations doing a coat drive. For example, Robert Wood Johnson Barnabas Health is doing a drive at all 13 of their locations statewide.”
Jersey Cares uses shipping containers to consolidate coats collected at nearly 300 sites. The containers can be driven to shelters, churches and social organizations throughout the state.
This year, a dozen 8-foot tall shipping containers were packed. “Usually, the containers are about half full, and I would say this year, the majority are at least 80 percent full,” said Michelle. “We’re so happy and grateful, especially since I get to tell agencies their requested number will be filled this year, which isn’t always the case.”
And that’s where valuable volunteers come in.
Teams of 10 to 20 people at each location sort, count and examine each coat, making sure it’s clean and usable. Volunteers also separate lighter attire, such as hoodies, hats and gloves, to be distributed elsewhere.
“Our volunteers come together and take all the collected coats, sort and distribute them in one day,” said Vanessa. “We wouldn’t be as successful as we are if not for our volunteers.”
Fleeing War, Finding Hope
RomAltruista, our affiliate in Rome, works tirelessly to help disadvantaged populations find food, shelter, education and jobs. Founded in 2011, it’s had success with “flexible volunteering,” whereby volunteers can browse the organization’s website for projects by theme: animals, environment, elderly, disabled, etc., and sign up for dates by clicking on the online calendar. Schedules are confirmed by email.
In Italy, some of the most vulnerable groups served by RomAltruista are immigrants and refugees. According to a story on BBC posted in July, “more than 500,000 migrants have passed through Italian ports since 2014, and numbers are on the rise again. … Italy is the main destination for migrants attempting to reach Europe by sea, due to its proximity to Libya. According to the United Nations, 83,650 people have reached Italy by sea since the beginning of the year – a 20 percent increase on the same period in 2016.”
Mauro Cipparone, president and co-founder of RomAltruista, coordinates volunteers for several agencies that help the homeless, whether immigrants or native Italians. “Our partner organizations serve food on the streets,” said Mauro. “There are three main train stations in Rome. Every night of the year, at least one organization is serving food there.”
Helping immigrants appeals to Maria Baroni, a retired business professional with experience in organizing events and working with public authorities. She’s become a permanent volunteer with Casa Africa, a RomAltruista partner organization that helps immigrants obtain food, housing, jobs, child care and more.
One of the group’s biggest goals is helping newcomers learn to speak and read Italian, so they can get jobs. Since 2009, Casa Africa has offered an Italian language school at no cost for immigrants and asylum seekers from many areas of the world, including Latin America, China, the Middle East and the Philippines, in addition to Africa. Open four hours a day, five days a week, all months of the year, Casa Africa currently has 250 students. To Maria’s surprise, students even flock to the school in summer, despite the tempting surroundings. “The school is located close to Piazza del Popolo, Piazza di Spagna, Fontana di Trevi, the most attractive places in Rome,” she explained.
“I found my happiness,” Maria said of her volunteer work with Casa Africa. “There are people from different countries; my colleagues are very open-minded. It was perfect for me!”
“We also teach them the fundamental principles of the Italian democratic Constitution,” Maria added with pride. “They have the opportunity to express their opinions about dignity, equality, law, freedom, respect, citizenship, immigrant rights, etc.” Students also visit Italy’s “White House,” the Quirinale Palace presidential residence.
During 2017, about 75 volunteers from RomAltruista helped at the school.
To reach out further to immigrants, RomAltruista launched a new project: Welcome Dinners. “We aim to break the barriers between new arrivals and people who live in Rome,” said Mauro. “At each dinner, there are four locals, four newcomers and one facilitator, and every participant brings food – like a potluck. It helps foreigners and locals get to know each other and counteract bad press – immigrants only seem to appear in the news when there is a crime or something like that. We want people to get to get the direct experience of the immigrants so they can realize they are just normal people.”
Once again, social media generates positive visibility. Participants at Welcome Dinners are asked afterward to post a few words describing their experience on Facebook. Words posted so far include: “warm,” “sharing,” “brotherhood,” “pleasant,” “friendship” and “harmony.”
Better Food for Pantries
In New York, donations to food pantries now include fresh, locally grown vegetables, thanks to the efforts of Volunteer New York! The organization, which coordinates a wide variety of volunteer opportunities, has partnered with an energetic gardener, Amy Benerose, who created Our New Way Garden as a way to grow organic produce to serve urban areas that otherwise rely on canned and boxed foods.
“People who have the means can go to farmer’s markets or stores that carry organic produce,” Amy said. “If we really want to help with the problem [of nutrition], we have to make sure everybody gets access to organic food.”
As Amy has expanded from one to five gardens, volunteers are key to getting the produce planted, harvested and delivered.
“Last year, we grew about 20,000 pounds of vegetables and distributed most of them to local food pantries. The quality is really good because it’s grown locally,” said Amy.
The harvest includes corn, eggplant, squash, peppers, melons, pumpkins, lettuce and more, along with herbs and garlic. In addition, Our New Way Garden is raising fruit trees and hopes to build a greenhouse for future year-round crops.
Volunteer New York! uses other creative ideas as part of its Hunger Relief Corps program. Launched in 2015, the program works with soup kitchens, mobile meals for cancer patients and corporate food drives. To make it easier for busy people to donate, “Fill Me Up and Donate Me,” bags are handed out at food pantries, printed with a list of most-wanted items.
During Hunger and Homelessness Week, the “Un-Hunger Games” challenged three high schools to bring in the most food. The initiative was a phenomenal success, with the smallest school bringing in the most donations, said Wendy Armstrong, manager of the Hunger Relief Corps.
In Italy, urban gardens also have sprung up, not only to grow food, but to provide satisfying endeavors for volunteers, including people with disabilities and refugees.
“Its goal is social integration and empowerment for participants,” said Damiano Fiamin, who helps lead the Coltiva Torre garden, located in Rome’s Aniene Valley nature reserve. “We work with the park management, which provides us with water and gives us the boundaries in which we can move without ruining the ecosystem in which we (and another private urban garden) operate.”
Since turning to RomAltruista for help, the garden has found it easier to recruit volunteers, he adds.
Fulfilling Wishes in Just Minutes
Making things easier for donors was the inspiration for Frosty’s Friends, a Jersey Cares project that helps match children with the perfect donated toys. Children selected by social workers, teachers, foster care, etc., are encouraged to write letters to “Frosty,” naming items they want.
“How we differ from a toy drive is that rather than just buying a toy and putting it in a bin, you receive a letter from a child and you get to fulfill that specific wish,” said Jersey Cares’ Vanessa Martinez. “Last year, we filled 2,500 wishes, and this year, we’re well over 4,000 wishes. It’s pretty magical.”
Companies like the ease of distributing Frosty letters among employees. But individuals – even homebound ones – can also join in, easily finding children’s letters on the Jersey Cares social media sites. They can choose from an Amazon wish list that allows them to order and arrange delivery online.
“It’s really a matter of three clicks,” said Jenny Lewellen, senior manager of service events. “It’s really an awesome way for people who don’t have time or the ability to go to a store.” The Amazon donation lists often “sell out” within hours of being posted, she said.
Written by Kay Nolan
The Call of a Global Movement on International Volunteer Day
This post is by Gared Jones, senior vice president of global at Points of Light.
In the American South in the summer, right around sundown, there is an awakening of fireflies that fills our neighborhoods with light. You can look across yards, soupy with humidity, and witness an asynchronous cacophony of flashing lights.
As the temperatures now drop, I am reminded of these fireflies … and how easy it can be to forget them. Even in summer, you actually have to go outside. And you have to look.
On
, Points of Light is recognizing volunteers in communities around the world who answer the call to serve, every day and especially in times of need. However, for most of us this is a day like any other. I would like to invite you to go outside and take a look!
What you’ll see, and what we at Points of Light are seeing in neighborhoods across the 35 countries where our
. Hundreds of thousands of individuals doing something to brighten their communities.
This video shares some of our story:
However, it may not be what you think. It is not big and flashy. It is not of the world’s grand achievers or most important names (though they play a part).
It is ordinary, everyday Joes and Janes, Joses and Juanitas, Sumitas and Sanjays. It is folks coming from places of humility – young people, mothers and fathers, programmers and back of the house hotel staff, small business owners and micro-entrepreneurs – humility cauterized by empathy.
It is folks stripping away all the things they’ve got (or think they are) in order to do something good for someone else. It is folks taking the smallest steps to act, to risk doing something different – just once – that can unhook a lifetime of inertia.
I recently had the privilege to serve as a jurist for the
, recognition for extraordinary individual, nonprofit and corporate volunteering, given by Points of Light’s affiliate in India. What I saw in their finalists is the same inspiration that we are seeing around the world: a shift from volunteering toward
. We’re seeing that volunteers are increasingly understanding that they are solving social problems. And they are bringing their passion and creativity fully to bear in tackling them.
The Volunteer Hero Award winner was a young woman named Krupali Bidaye, who organized India’s first-ever Hijra Empowerment Mela. She and her group brought together members of the often ostracized transgender community from across India to participate in entrepreneurial activities, livelihood skills training and community building. The Mela included 30 stalls (the salon and food stalls nearly sold out) and more than 1,500 participants. In an innovative twist, Krupali and her team introduced “family meets,” through which they connected groups of transgender individuals to 70-80 families across five states to participate in sharing sessions in people’s homes, designed to breakdown biases and build understanding. Crazy. Revolutionary!
So where is all of this headed?
How about this – imagine the most challenging place you can think of. Perhaps it’s a low-income neighborhood, a slum, a refugee camp. Perhaps it’s a poorly resourced elder-care center, hospital or orphanage. Those pockets of darkness illumined by the United Nations’
.
Now imagine, just for a moment, that you’re on the outset of life, the eve of life, and you’re about to show up “next time” around. Just imagine that life works that way.
The opportunity for us in this life – on International Volunteer Day and the days to follow – is to create the window for ourselves in the next one. So that should you show up in one of these places next time around, you can find your way back here …
On International Volunteer Day. Stepping outside to take a look. Witnessing the light of thousands of fireflies … of thousands of points of light. Considering your next small step to act. For one of us in the elder-care center, the hospital, the orphanage; the struggling neighborhood, the slum, the refugee camp.
Stripping away a few more layers in the process.
I invite you to join us.
On International Volunteer Day, we celebrate the power of volunteers to tackle tough challenges, create change, and build stronger, more vibrant communities. Take the first step to becoming a changemaker in the world around you –
. And, take the opportunity to shine a light on the people and causes that inspire you to serve – share the story of volunteers who have found their passion and turned it into meaningful change, using
Call of A Global Movement: Tapping Into the Spirit of Service in the Volunteer State
Across the globe, volunteers use their time, talent and resources to tackle tough challenges and build stronger, more vibrant communities. With our global network of more than 200 affiliates, Points of Light will celebrate International Volunteer Day on December 5, recognizing volunteers in communities around the world who answer the call to serve, every day and especially in times of need.
As part of this celebration, we are spotlighting a few of our affiliate leaders to share the story of their work and how their volunteers are making a difference locally. In Memphis, Tennessee, Andrea Hill – director of our affiliate Volunteer Memphis – prepares and mobilizes leaders to work together for the good of the whole community, with an emphasis on volunteerism and an understanding of the differences and similarities between volunteer and community leadership. Andrea has 16 years of experience in youth development and community engagement, including volunteer management and resource development.
We spoke with Andrea to learn more about what inspires her, and how Volunteer Memphis taps into the service spirit of the Tennesseans in “Volunteer State.”
As the director of Volunteer Memphis, an action initiative of Leadership Memphis, what inspires and drives you?
I am inspired by the spirit of service exhibited by my mid-South community. In Memphis, we call this service spirit our “grit and grind” spirit! On a daily basis, I see members of our community working together in their organically and intentionally created impact networks to make the greater Memphis community a better place. When you come to visit the mid-South, you will see the strong spirit of service interwoven amongst our corporate, nonprofit and grassroots community leaders.
How did you get started in the volunteer space, and what brought you to Leadership Memphis?
I truly found my passion for volunteering while attending the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where I majored in human services. In college, I volunteered with numerous groups like Circle K and the Black Student Association, and eventually I was promoted to a volunteer leader. Through this process, I began thinking of ways to recruit, engage and retain volunteers. All of these lessons learned spurred my desire to connect volunteers to organizations to meet their capacity gaps and maximize impact.
In my role as a Volunteer Tennessee board member, I actively participate in the commissions’ mission. Volunteer Tennessee is a 25-member bipartisan board appointed by Gov. Haslam to oversee AmeriCorps and service-learning programs, advancing volunteerism and citizen service to solve community problems in the Volunteer State. This role continues to motivate me to educate myself on trends and best practices in the volunteerism space and encourage others to take on more active leadership roles.
In my professional role as the director of Volunteer Memphis, I have the opportunity to provide project management, training and support to organizations. It is a dream come true to work at Volunteer Memphis, which is at the heart of volunteering. We build capacity for effective volunteering and connect people with opportunities to serve throughout Memphis and the mid-South. We work with nonprofits, churches, schools, corporations and other groups that engage volunteers to make community programs stronger.
An example of this is our Volunteer Memphis MLK Days of Service weekend. In our first year, we facilitated 72 service projects that engaged more than 2,000 volunteers. In 2018, our second year, the goal is to facilitate 500 service projects in nine counties that will engage 5,000+ volunteers.
These community-wide projects energize me to continue my work in the volunteerism space. I also love the fact that the field of volunteerism is constantly evolving. There is never a dull day and there is always someone who is being helped through the support of Volunteer Memphis, our partner organizations, and volunteers.
The theme of International Volunteer Day this year is “Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere.” In your community, how do volunteers act first?
Tennessee is known as the Volunteer State; it is simply in our DNA to volunteer. We have seen this spirit in full effect in the aftermath of the Sevier County fires to the recent storm that brought down trees here in Memphis. Most recently, Memphis had the opportunity to mobilize with the hurricane relief efforts for Harvey, Irma and Maria. Memphis leaped into action in a number of ways to collect and distribute items to those in need. “Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere.” means more than the tangible action of cleaning, collecting or hands-on work. The phase also means that volunteers have the ability, the skills, and the heart to serve others whenever and wherever needed before thinking of themselves.
How do you draw volunteers’ attention to real problems in their communities and equip them to be changemakers themselves?
Volunteer Memphis provides resources to our local community in a number of ways. We provide capacity building support to corporate groups, nonprofit groups and volunteers. We provide trainings to help organizations and individual volunteers become a better resource to their community. Volunteer Memphis hosts a volunteer management website that provides nonprofits the platform to promote their opportunities, recruit, track and communicate with their volunteer base. This system also gives individual volunteers and teams of volunteers the opportunity to browse interesting opportunities, and to track their service. Volunteers come to Volunteer Memphis to begin and end their forever volunteer opportunity search!
What advice do you give to individuals who want to get involved, but don’t think they can make a difference?
I tell people that there is a volunteer opportunity for you. You have the skills, the passion, and the network to make a difference and fill a gap! Whether it is folding letters for a mailing, mentoring youth at a local community center, or leading a community clean-up project, you are needed. In addition, volunteering can be fun, eye opening and a transformative experience. Volunteering is one of the purest opportunities to make friends, discover a new city or community, learn a new skill or enhance current skills.
What has been the biggest benefit of being part of Points of Light’s affiliate network?
I love attending the Points of Light conference, having the opportunity to network with nonprofit professionals and hear from subject-matter experts. Having such a powerfully impactful network of professionals to brainstorm ideas, to glean best practices, is the biggest benefit to being a part of a national and regional network.
In addition, at the 2017 conference I was able to see in person a childhood hero, Dr. Mae Jemison. It was amazing to see and hear a true icon of service and academics. Dr. Jemison’s words were an inspiration and continue to spur my desire to make as big of an impact as I can make in my local community. At the same conference, I was able to attend the American Express Leadership Academy as well. It was an awesome experience to share with fellow nonprofit professionals and to goal set with a mentor. Overall, the 2017 Points of Light conference was one of the best professional development opportunities I have ever attended.
What emerging trend in volunteerism are you most excited about?
I am excited that volunteers see that they can use their talents, skills and networks to make a difference. Volunteers of all ages are coming together to help those around them in need. I hear the common phase, “music is the universal language.” I don’t disagree, but I believe volunteerism is a universal language as well. All over the world, you see people of different races, ages, faiths coming together to help each other. Ultimately, volunteering makes an impact in local neighborhoods, cities, states and the world!
Call of a Global Movement: Empowering Volunteers to Solve Social Challenges in Brazil
Across the globe, volunteers use their time, talent and resources to tackle tough challenges and build stronger, more vibrant communities. With our global network of more than 200 affiliates, Points of Light will celebrate International Volunteer Day on December 5, recognizing volunteers in communities around the world who answer the call to serve, every day and especially in times of need.
As part of this celebration, we are spotlighting a few of our affiliate leaders to share the story of their work and how their volunteers are making a difference locally. In São Paulo, Brazil, André Cervi – cofounder of our affiliate Atados – is inspired by individuals and nonprofits that continually innovate to achieve greater impact in their communities. Atados connects people who want to volunteer in social and environmental causes to nonprofits who need their help. The organization is particularly well known for developing innovative projects such as Abraço Cultural, a language center designed to create jobs and entrepreneurship opportunities for refugees, and to encourage cross-cultural sharing and learning.
We spoke with André to learn more about what drives him, and how Atados is helping volunteers and nonprofit partners address social and institutional challenges.
As the cofounder of Atados, what inspires and drives you?
The work of the nonprofits we partner with inspires me a lot. They usually face several constraints, but they are always innovating in their approach to achieve more impact.
How did you get started in the volunteer space, and what led you to create Atados?
We started Atados because we discovered that many friends and colleagues wanted to volunteer, but did not know an easy and trustful way to connect with NGOs and volunteer opportunities. In the beginning, we visited almost 70 NGOs to understand their needs and how Atados could help them.
The theme of International Volunteer Day this year is “Volunteers Act First. Here. Everywhere.” In your community, how do volunteers act first?
Many times, volunteers are part of informal groups that are directly involved with causes. For example, many people in Brazil organize in groups to help refugees in legal issues, to donate health kits, or to teach Portuguese and help refugees integrate into the Brazilian culture. Their approach is usually faster than the work of nonprofits and, sometimes, these groups evolve into formal NGOs or partner with already established NGOs. To conclude, the work of volunteers, whether in informal groups or with NGOs, is fundamental for social development.
How do you draw volunteers’ attention to real problems in their communities and equip them to be changemakers themselves?
We believe that the volunteer activity has to be more than just a work. When we organize these activities, we always separate some time for volunteers to feel the experience and interact with the public, so they can be more empathic and understand better the reality they are entering.
What advice do you give to individuals who want to get involved, but don’t think they can make a difference?
My advice is to believe in the power of a network. Maybe one person can´t make a huge difference, but a small group of engaged people that can mobilize others has the opportunity and the power to create a real change. It´s also important to remember that all leaders also have many supporters for their cause.
What has been the biggest benefit of being part of Points of Light’s affiliate network?
The biggest benefit is the possibility to exchange knowledge and volunteering practices with organizations around the world. The practice of sharing is crucial for the development of the social sector, and we brought many innovations to Brazil by learning with other global partners.
What emerging trend in volunteerism are you most excited about?
In Brazil, I see two trends that excite me:
First, many volunteers are working in political education with youth. Brazil is facing a political crisis due to corruption, and many youth don’t have any hope in politicians. Volunteers are teaching them how the political system works, and how it´s possible to “hack” the system to fight for citizens’ rights.
Second, I also see a trend of volunteering empowerment, where volunteers take a more active approach to social problems. NGOs are giving more space for volunteers to innovate inside the organization and develop specific solutions to social and institutional challenges. Also, many volunteers are creating new projects and becoming social entrepreneurs.
