Scott Doniger

High-Tech Volunteerism

Since 2005 Scott Doniger has volunteered nearly 4,300 hours of service for The Volunteer Center of Northwest Suburban Chicago (TVC).

“Service is critical because it provides me with the unique opportunity to utilize my professional skills to help others less fortunate,” says Scott, an executive at a Chicago area IT architecture and design firm.

TVC matches and places volunteers at a wide range of area partner schools and nonprofits. TVC plays a critical networking role for non-profits and TVC relies on Scott to ensure their networks are working optimally.

Scott’s tech savvy and leadership helped TVC to create a new technology infrastructure, which included standardizing all computers and implementing a new computer server environment. He trained a staff of 20 at TVC in new technology and recruited other expert volunteers to assist with TVC’s information technology. Scott’s assistance helped to increase the capacity of TVC and that of its 170 partner agencies, helping TVC to match 10,871 volunteers from 2008 – 2009.

Scott’s work continues as he helps to launch the HandsOn Connect software, an interactive volunteer matching database called 1-800-volunteer.org. This software enables nonprofits to post their volunteer opportunities online and allows potential volunteers to search for opportunities based on location, availability, skills, organization, and issue area. Scott worked with the Points of Light Institute to make the 1-800-volunteer.org database more user-friendly for nonprofits and volunteers alike. Scott assisted in developing a new feature called Group-Signup that has enabled groups of volunteers to sign-up for volunteer opportunities together.

With demand for services increasing and constrained resources to meet client needs, there is a critical need to train nonprofit staff in the effective use of technology in order to build their capacity. Scott has also independently designed and developed the “Ask Bob Program” for TVC’s member nonprofit agencies. Ask Bob provides nonprofits with technology assistance and training.

“I have strengthened the capacity of nonprofits across the nation by improving their volunteer recruitment through technology,” says Scott. “Better equipping them to expand their volunteer recruitment efforts and manage volunteers more effectively, is proven to enhance service delivery.”

Carol Moroco

Mentoring One, Impacts Many

Carol Moroco was ahead of her time. When she began her banking career she was the only woman in her management training class. This experience combined with wisdom from her grandmother has inspired the South Florida resident to devote herself to the mentoring of others.

“A woman has strength and is the heart, the core and the nurturer of their children, families and communities,” taught Carol’s maternal grandmother.

Continually “paying forward” the lessons from her grandmother, Carol believes in making her community a better place through the power of lifting one person at a time.

Carol is recognized for her dedication to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County where the one-to-one youth mentoring program resonated with her. In her three years with the organization, she has been the driving force behind many initiatives.

Serving on the executive committee and the board of directors she established Six Degrees, a professional networking group. In two years the group has more than 60 members including both aspiring and established professionals.

Through Six Degrees, Carol also established a forum called Bigwigs, in which community leaders share their personal journeys, inspiring young professionals, which parallels Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mentoring service. This value-added event series has brought in new donors and an increase in volunteerism among the Six Degrees members.

Carol successfully advocates for Big Brothers Big Sisters. She has recruited individuals, solicited new donations and established new corporate partnerships, including with her own company, Bank of Florida.

Carol has helped raise more than $25,000 for Big Brothers Big Sisters. At an average cost of $1,000 per child per year, Carol has changed the lives of 25 children in Broward County. Because those 25 children have a mentor, their outlook on their own lives has improved, 25 parents have happier homes and 25 volunteers learned what impact caring can have on the life of a child. The ripple effect from those 75 life-changing encounters is endless.

Carol is a true example of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ mission by proving that the power of one individual can make a significant difference in the countless lives she touches.

Kenneth Rupert

Special Help for Special Education

Believing that a strong community is rooted in a thriving educational system Ken Rupert works tirelessly to improve the educational environment for the children in Hampstead, Maryland, particularly for those students with special needs.

“Despite the challenges experienced by students with developmental and cognitive difficulties, each child grows up,” says Ken “and having as much exposure to education…provides these children the opportunity to live as independently as possible while making a positive contribution to society.”

Ken’s service to his community is centered on raising awareness of special education. He began serving the special education community as the President of the Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) of Hampstead Elementary School. He established yearly objectives to purchase educational resources for the school. Ken planned a golf tournament and under his leadership the PTO raised $7,500 to purchase an innovative math teaching aid known as Digi-Blocks and $13,000 to purchase maps and globes for each classroom.

He was then elected co-chair of the Carroll County Public School Special Education Citizens Advisory Committee (SECAC). Ken helped to direct the adoption of a vision for SECAC that “all students with disabilities have the educational opportunities and experiences that will help them achieve their personal and professional goals through the utilization of their gifts and talents and acquired knowledge to reach their full potential as productive members of society.”

While helping all special needs children, Ken has been able to bring particular awareness to Sotos Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that causes overly rapid physical growth during the first years of life and is often accompanied by delayed motor, cognitive and social development. Ken is working to organize the 2011 Sotos Syndrome Support Association (SSSA) Medical Conference in Williamsburg, Virginia. He hopes to increase attendance by reducing conference fees and is raising supplementary funds through corporate sponsorship and by registering SSSA as a Mission Fish charity, so far raising more than $3,500.

“Service to the community should focus on improving the lives of those who would otherwise face remarkable challenges and risk being left behind,” says Ken. Ken’s work ensures no special education students in Hampstead will be left behind.

LaTheda Noonan

Feeding the Flock

The growing number of hungry in Franklin, Indiana does not intimidate LaTheda Noonan. She pushes even harder to match the rising demand at Interchurch Food Pantry. In the past year the Pantry’s client base has increased by almost 30%, while tough economic conditions have caused donations to drop by nearly as much.

“Christ told each of us to feed His sheep,” says LaTheda and that is what inspires her to serve her community.

Not only has LaTheda met the challenge of feeding more people in her community, but she has pressed for a higher quality of service for the Pantry’s clients. Under her leadership she brought the Pantry into State and Federal Health Department compliance so that the organization now qualifies for Federal commodities. Additionally, LaTheda succeeded in securing a donated three-door, industrial freezer and she is working to obtain two more. Together the freezer and the health department compliance enable the Pantry to distribute additional products – including meat, fruit, juice, shelf ready milk, nuts, oatmeal and flour – they were previously unable to provide.

LaTheda continues to seek new ways to offer healthier choices for the clients. Always striving to deliver more, LaTheda worked with a nutritionist from Purdue University to develop menus and to create a cookbook that utilizes the Pantry’s core foods. They are now in the process of developing a program of onsite cooking classes to teach clients some nutritious recipes and basic cooking tips.

LaTheda’s dedication inspires others to join the effort. She has recruited students and even clients to devote their time to the Pantry. Her efforts have doubled the number of active volunteers at Interchurch Food Pantry to nearly 100.

LaTheda understands the power of calling others to serve. “If each of us bettered our own corner of the world we would have no hunger, no violence, no unclothed, no injured," she says.

Ashley McNeill

Ashley McNeill has always felt a responsibility to make a difference in her community. For eight years, Ashley has been involved with the literacy organization Success Won’t Wait.

Ashley has sorted, labeled, repaired, and packed tens of thousands of books. She also created dozens of children's book baskets and delivered them to waiting rooms and lobbies. She has participated in more than 40 activities, included delivering 5,200 books to impoverished people in Lewis County, West Virginia, providing 2,400 brand new children's books for the Toys for Tots program in Sussex County, Delaware, and collecting 14,000 pounds of books in one day at the annual Used Book Drive in Salem County, New Jersey.

Since 2002, Ashley has been dedicated to helping the literacy organization. She has collected approximately a quarter of a million books for literacy programs to support local public libraries and schools. One of her colleagues says, “Not only her desire for change, but her action for change is inspiring to others, and she intends to make better the lives of as many people as possible—one book at a time.”

Most recently, Ashley initiated a recycling program. Often, Success Won't Wait receives books that are water damaged or have broken bindings. Now, because of Ashley’s initiative, any unusable books are sent to recycling.

Ashley is truly dedicated to furthering the mission of the organization and helping promote literacy. She plans to form a satellite office of Success Won't Wait in her new college town.

Callahan fore

Since Callahan Fore was 10 years old, he has been extremely passionate about service to his community.

When Callahan and his high school classmates were tasked with completing community service hours, they learned there were very few resources in the community for them. They struggled to find organizations that could connect them with meaningful volunteer work.

Callahan and his classmates began to wonder if there was a way to provide an online network to share community service opportunities. With the help of 20 fellow high school students from five area Florida high schools, Callahan and his classmates combined efforts and created a website that could help every student help themselves and their community.

This experience empowered Callahan to spearhead the development of SweatMonkey, a nonprofit organization that features the resulting website. SweatMonkey.org connects students with organizations, helps students and teachers track their hours and generate community service resumes.

Since 2006, SweatMonkey has grown to serve many communities, students and teachers throughout Florida. Aimed at youth age 13 and up, SweatMonkey has measurably impacted nearly 5,500 student members throughout Florida who have logged more than 290,000 hours with 1,950 nonprofit organizations and employers.

Universities in Florida including University of Florida, Florida State University and University of North Florida currently use SweatMonkey to centralize service learning resources. Additionally, the Florida Department of Education currently requires all On the Job Training (OJT) Programs at high schools throughout the state to use SweatMonkey as the one-stop technology to organize opportunities, requirements, reporting, tracking and to generate statistical information.

SweatMonkey is currently partnering with Florida Campus Compact in an effort to implement a pilot project that aims to exponentially increase faculty and student participation in service learning activities at 12 prominent universities in Florida. With the potential for an unlimited amount of members, Callahan has set out to serve students, organizations and teachers throughout the United States.

Ann Randall

John Leinart

John Leinart has served on the board of directors of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Mississippi Valley for more than 10 years. During his service, John has served as a Big Brother to three young men. He has also engaged his family in the mentoring experience, including his wife, two daughters, and his 87 year old father.

Leinart is a leader that does not hesitate to lead by example. In his capacity as Director of Human Resources for Deere & Company, John has coordinated volunteer recruitment activities that have recruited over 100 adult mentors for children in his community. Leinart spearheaded the Big Brothers Big Sister’s first strategic plan that increased the impact from 200 mentoring relationships to more than 1,500 in a seven year span. His leadership also expanded the service territory to include 13 rural counties that have limited resources but high youth risk.

By taking a solid model that engages adult volunteers in a healthy, positive and safe mentoring relationship with vulnerable children, Leinart was able to lead and orchestrate a significant expansion of the Big Brothers Big Sisters programming, creating new delivery systems, maintaining a consistent cost structure during growth, and increasing significant outcome results.

One of Leinart’s colleagues says, “He continues to lead in every aspect of our organization to inspire others and push the mission of the organization beyond perceived walls and limitations.”

He continues to serve on the organization’s board of directors and as a Big Brother.

Marcie Green

Marcie Green exemplifies the role of a volunteer. The generosity of her time and desire to help others makes her a huge asset for Shawnee County Medical Reserve Corps. She performed 238 volunteer hours in 2009, not only as a volunteer, but also as a leader and teacher in the community.

Marcie participated in several public H1N1 vaccination clinics hosted by the Shawnee County Health Agency. She was always willing to work wherever there was a need, and during several clinics, she was the supervisor, in charge of clinic flow. Her compassion played an important role during these clinics as she went out of her way to comfort children receiving vaccinations and assisting elderly and disabled adults.

She also is the most active CPR and first aid instructor in the organization. Marcie not only enjoys teaching these courses, but also understands the importance of these classes as well. She has made significant sacrifices to get volunteers trained in CPR and first aid. Marcie has taught several weekend and evening courses, the times most convenient for the students.

Marcie’s award nominator stated, “There is no doubt in my mind Marcie will continue to be an ambassador of public health for the Shawnee County MRC. Simply stated, it's what she loves.”

Marcie's willingness to selflessly serve her community has been very contagious. Where ever she goes, she makes new friends who often volunteer to serve with her.

John West

John West has served Volunteer Mid-South for more than six years. He does everything from reading to children who live in inner-city neighborhoods to playing bingo with the elderly to creating crafts with ill children.

West has been essential in the programming of Volunteer Mid-South. He is the Chairperson of the Leadership Council and trains incoming volunteers. These new volunteers learn how to tutor elementary school students, which directly impact the rates of illiteracy and poverty in the community.

John’s greatest passion is the environment. He has organized and lead the Trailblazing at Lichterman Nature Center and Whistle While You Work at Shelby Farms. John’s effective leadership style has inspired teenagers to become concerned about going green and working in the environment.

Currently, John has volunteered to head the annual Volunteer Expo, which features nearly 100 nonprofit agencies showcasing their volunteer opportunities to more than 1,500 community volunteers. He has volunteered because he wants to meet with potential volunteers and promote the importance of volunteering. In addition to his extensive service to Volunteer Mid-South, John works full time and serves on several other boards and councils.

Honoree Update

Oct. 2021: The update below provided by the Honoree describes their ongoing volunteer service activities since being recognized with the Daily Point of Light Award.

“I moved from Memphis, Tenn. to Atlanta, Ga. in about October, 2011. For most Saturdays from July 2012 to September 2015 I volunteered at Reece Center – a horse farm for those with disabilities.

In 2013, I started volunteering for NASCAR Foundation at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Ala. I started working at the main booth “selling” (taking donations) for various “products” such as baseball caps, wrist bands, etc. and quickly worked my way up to be given title of At Track Volunteer Leader, whereby I would start two months in advance of the spring and fall races, recruiting about 100 volunteers for each race weekend. After moving to Orlando, Fla. in January 2016, I switched from Talladega Superspeedway to Daytona International Speedway for the February and July races there until August 2020. For Daytona I did not have to recruit the volunteers. For Talladega and Dayton summer races that involved a 3-day weekend serving thousands of race fans. For February Daytona races that involved 2 weekends and about 6 days of volunteering. And periodically volunteering at other Daytona NASCAR Foundation events between those races.

In Atlanta from 2014 to September 2015 I volunteered for World Trade Center Atlanta as their Vice President/Program Chair and as a Board Member as Board Secretary and also on the Board Executive Committee. This was like a full-time job – about 40 hours a week for about a year. In January 2016 I moved to Orlando, Florida to start a new volunteer job as Vice President of Programs for World Trade Center Orlando. I still hold that position today. It’s like a full-time job – about 40 hours a week for the past 5+ years.”