6 Influencers Using Social Media for a Good Cause This Global Volunteer Month

Social media provides an opportunity for those advocating for causes to make their

heard, spread awareness and garner widespread support. By reaching audiences across the nation and the globe, social media influencers can harness their social impact by educating and informing the masses on current-day issues, solutions and organizations working to create change. Here we’re featuring six changemakers who partnered with Points of Light during

Global Volunteer Month

throughout April to amplify this movement through their social media platforms. Their messaging lent support to promote volunteerism in communities around the world.

6 posts using social media for a good cause

Taylor Moxey

The

Taylor Moxey Foundation

was created to empower literacy for children and families worldwide through local sustainable libraries, education and arts programs. The organization’s founder, Taylor Moxey, is passionate about the power of reading to promote creativity and innovation in both children and adults. This young philanthropist is already a published author, award-winner and creator of a daily mantra card deck. The three Florida-based Taylor Moxey libraries are constructed of pod-style buildings created from repurposed shipping containers, providing a sustainable approach to creating more spaces for youth and families to cultivate their love of reading and education. You can

meet Taylor here

and see her Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by TAYLOR MOXEY ®️ (@taylor_moxey)

Dani Aravich

is a Paralympian, adaptive model and disability advocate. Born without her left hand and forearm, Dani has represented the United States at the summer and winter Paralympic Games. She fiercely advocates for inclusion in the outdoors for people with disabilities. From playing sports from a young age and excelling against non-disabled peers, Dani went on to a decorated career in professional sports, including track and field, Nordic skiing, trail running, backcountry skiing and more. She advocates for disability inclusion in sports and is currently working toward establishing an avalanche course for people with disabilities. Meet

Dani

and see her Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by Dani Aravich (@theonearmdan)

Sir Darius Brown

Sir Darius Brown is a powerhouse teen social entrepreneur, speaker, shelter pet advocate, philanthropist, recipient of the Global Child Prodigy Award and founder & CEO of

Beaux & Paws

, where he designs and creates handmade stylish bow ties for dogs in animal shelters. At the age of 2, Sir Darius was diagnosed with speech comprehension and fine motor skills delay. But by the age of 8, his fine motor skills started to improve after he began assisting his older sister with cutting fabric and learning how to use a sewing machine. During this time, he discovered his passion for making bow ties. Beaux & Paws was founded during the devastation of Hurricane Harvey and Hurricane Irma, in an effort to help displaced pups become more adoptable with adorable bow ties that help them look their best. Meet

Sir Darius

and see his Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by Sir Darius Brown (@sirdariusbrown)

Trevon Jenifer

Paralympic Gold medalist and advocate

Trevon Jenifer

was born with congenital amputation, but that didn’t stop him from becoming a successful track athlete and top wrestler in high school. In 1992, Trey started playing wheelchair basketball with team Air Capital in Washington D.C., eventually becoming a three-year captain and two-time All-American for the Edinboro men’s wheelchair basketball team. He then played professional basketball for two years overseas in France. A published author, husband and father, Trey is an advocate for equality and equity, shining his light on issues that individuals with disabilities face within our society. Since embarking on the Paralympic stage in 2009, Trey has continued to empower all athletes on all levels in their respective sports. He uses his athletic platform to spark difficult conversations with high-ranking personnel within government, corporations and private agencies Meet

Trevon

and see his Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by Trey Jenifer (@treyjenifer)

Hollis Belger

Eighteen-year-old Hollis Belger founded

Juggling for Jude

when she realized she had a knack for juggling — a skill she recognized after joining a competitive soccer team at age 8. Through a combination of soccer juggling, appearances at special events and public speaking, Hollis has raised more than $660,000 for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, with the help of thousands of individual donors, juggler volunteers and partners supporting her cause. Hollis has since become an advocate for youth in philanthropy, speaking and writing about how young people can take a passion and turn it into a way to get involved with the causes they care about. Having completed a Certificate in Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations through Northwestern University’s School of Professional Studies, she’s currently working with Howard Moskowitz, PhD, a pioneer in the field of consumer analytics and market segmentation. Together they are applying his research methodology and technology to help St. Jude and other nonprofits and philanthropists communicate with their audiences for maximum return. Meet

Hollis

and see her Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by Juggling for Jude (@juggling_for_jude)

Shreya and Sahana Mantha

Shreya and Sahana Mantha created the

Foundation for Girls

in 2012 to economically empower marginalized women and support their children. Since economic empowerment is the way to financial independence for women, these sisters spotted an opportunity to utilize their knowledge and passion to pave the way for future generations of women to be more equipped for economic success. The organization’s four-pillared approach invests in women to become financially savvy, digitally capable, career confident and socially connected. The programs are based on the organization’s theory of change model and are crucial enablers for women to accomplish their financial, career and personal goals. Through FFG programs, women summon the courage to commit to action which builds competence and, in turn, gives them confidence. Meet

Shreya and Sahana

and see their Global Volunteer Month post on

Instagram

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A post shared by Foundation For Girls (@foundationforgirls)

Social Media and Volunteer Engagement: Expanding Your Organization’s Reach

It’s a common scenario – an organization is hosting a day of service for a large group of volunteers. But at the end of the day, the only social media posts that can be found outside of the organization’s own posts are from just a small handful of the volunteers. As a result, a great opportunity to promote the day of service and the organization to a wider audience has been lost. Don’t let this be your organization. According to

Smart Insights

, 59% of the world’s population used social media in 2022. Between Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, most of your volunteers have a network of hundreds – if not thousands – of followers who have the potential to become future volunteers or donors. Leverage their social media reach by mobilizing your volunteers to share their experiences. Here are some easy ways to get started.

Visible Signage that Highlights Social Media

Post signs around the project site with your social media handles and relevant hashtags so volunteers know who and what to tag. You want to make it easy for those that may see the volunteer post to find your organization and learn more. If volunteers aren’t clear on what to tag or don’t remember, they’ll likely skip this important step.

Address Social Media During the Project Orientation and Closing

You have the signs up. Now make sure you are actively encouraging the volunteers to share their experiences on social media. Reinforce that you want them to tag your organization and if applicable, use a hashtag. You’ll want to be specific about any additional asks you have of them – “share your favorite photos from the project” and/or “share your favorite moment during the project.”

If Volunteers are from a Company or Civic Group, Align with Them in Advance

Chances are that if you’re engaging a company or civic group, they are planning to promote their participation in the project on their social media channels. Don’t miss your opportunity to be a part of their strategy so your organization is well represented. Connect with the group leader in advance to discuss their social media goals and design a plan that is mutually beneficial. Any signage and volunteer instructions should capture social media information from both your organization and the group.

Build a Social Media Call to Action into the Project

If you don’t want to leave it to chance, build a five-minute window for social media into the project itself. For example, at the end of the project when the volunteers come back together, ask everyone to pull out their phones, open their favorite social media app and post about the project.

Acknowledge Volunteer Social Media Posts

It’s all about the “likes”! If volunteers have taken the time to promote your organization on social media, make sure that you recognize this by liking their post, thanking them in the comments or sharing on your own channels. It feels good to be acknowledged and your volunteers will be more inclined to share their experiences again in the future if you do so… not to mention, your own social media followers will be able to see what’s going on and may be encouraged to get more involved!