Disney Executive and Family Believe Giving Back Starts with Them

In honor of Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 19, Points of Light is recognizing families with the Daily Point of Light Award. Meet today’s winning family, the Pitaro family of Los Angeles, California, and nominate someone in your community.

The Walt Disney Company has a long history of giving back. Through its VoluntEAR program which encourages employees to work on meaningful projects that improve the community – including Family Volunteer Day – Disney is working to make the world a better place.

This concept of giving back starts at the top. It’s no surprise, then, that Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of Disney consumer products and interactive media, and his family make giving back a priority.

Locally, the family is heavily involved in CoachArt, whose mission is to create transformative arts and athletics experiences for families impacted by childhood chronic illness. They also work closely with PACER, a national nonprofit that provides resources and services for parents with children with disabilities.

The Pitaros often work side by side with Disney VoluntEARS on important projects, including attending Family Volunteer Day events in their community. Jimmy is the executive sponsor of Disney SALUTE, an employee group that supports veterans, while his daughter is on the Los Angeles Kids Advisory Board of PACER. In 2014, Jimmy was the Executive VoluntEAR of the Year for The Walt Disney Company. In 2013, the Pitaros joined Free the Children to build schools and hospitals in Kenya.

Through these efforts, both locally and abroad, the Pitaro family are consistently working to improve the world while strengthening their bonds as a family.

See how your family can get involved on Family Volunteer Day.

New York Family Volunteers Together, Finding Projects That Fit the Passions of Each Member

In honor of Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 19, Points of Light and Disney are recognizing families with the Daily Point of Light Award. Meet today’s winning family, the Martini family of Nanuet, New York, and nominate someone in your community.

As the Martini family starts sharing their volunteer experiences and favorite moments, it’s clear that a passion for helping others is deeply entrenched in their family.

“We volunteer for so many organizations,” Sharon Martini said, recounting stories of volunteering adventures with her husband Mike and their three children, Katie, David, and Dylan. “We do a lot as a family, but we volunteer for many different things that include everyone’s passion.”

The family is very active in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts – all three kids are scouts, and both Sharon and Mike are troop leaders. They do midnight runs to feed the homeless in New York City, preparing and serving hot meals to more than 140 people so far. They are very involved in their church and youth group. And, as a former director of programs and services for Meals on Wheels Rockland, Sharon has gotten the children involved there as well.

In addition to the work they do together, Sharon and Mike encourage the kids to follow their own passions, too.

Katie, 17 years old and in her last year of Girl Scouts, recently completed her Gold Award project, focusing on gender inequality in the work place. The project was such a success she was chosen to represent the Lower Hudson Valley region as a delegate at the Girl Scout’s national convention.

Sixteen-year-old David recently completed his Eagle Scout project, planning and completing a cleanup effort at a local school. “There were all these over-grown bushes, which were not only ugly, but plagued with bees and poison ivy, so they were dangerous and we had to take care of that for the school,” he said. “We cleaned up the whole area to make it safer and more beautiful.”

Dylan, the youngest sibling, is only 12 but is already very involved in the community. In addition to being a Boy Scout, he is involved with several community projects, including helping Katie with the children’s choir at church. He also volunteers with Keep Rockland Beautiful. “Once we did a big clean up and it made the area look so much better,” Dylan said. “Every time I drive by there I think, ‘I did that.’”

Sharon said a lot of her passion for giving back comes from her parents. “We just always volunteered, it was just something that we always did growing up, and we were just doing. It was just part of our lifestyle. It’s trickled down to Michael and I teaching our children about doing the right thing and giving back in the community.”

“The true genuine kindness that radiates from this family is amazing,” said Elena DeForest, volunteer vanager at Volunteer New York “Sharon and Michael do not treat volunteerism like a lesson they need to teach their children, but rather, giving back is a part of who they are as people and that has led them to raise children who have naturally learned the value of giving back, and who have taken their own paths to volunteering as well.” 

They all agree they love how volunteering makes them feel, whether they’re doing it together or supporting their own projects.

“When I’m volunteering at Meals on Wheels, I’m thinking there are people that are actually depending on me to make their food,” said David. “It just takes a few hours on a Sunday but makes a huge difference in people’s lives.”

And the biggest benefit, according to Sharon and Mike, is to see how their children have grown and changed.

“When you see your kid put in a role and they have to take leadership of something and you see them do it and succeed, it’s so rewarding,” Mike said. “It’s amazing to see them change the world.”  

See how your family can get involved on Family Volunteer Day.

Family Starts Bi-Coastal Nonprofit, Donating More Than 40,000 Books to Kids in Need

In honor of Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 19, Points of Light and Disney are recognizing families with the Daily Point of Light Award. Meet today’s winning family, the Mattson family of Clarence, New York and Honolulu, Hawaii, and nominate someone in your community.

When Elizabeth and David Mattson started a generationOn Kids Care Club, Kids Doing Wonderful Things, with their daughter Catherine a few years ago, it was to encourage their children and their children’s friends to share books and the experience of reading with other children. Elizabeth never imagined it would turn into her running a full-time, bi-coastal nonprofit organization.

As the founders of Ohana100, which is dedicated to promoting literacy in underserved areas in both Western New York and Hawaii, the Mattson family is doing just that.

“I consider myself an advocate for kids,” Elizabeth said. “I didn’t expect my family to have our own nonprofit, but I saw a need and started to fill it. There’s a huge need; we serve populations in dire need of support, including Title 1 schools, poverty stricken areas of Hawaii and rural areas in New York.”

While splitting time between Hawaii and New York, the entire Mattson family has made this dream a reality. Elizabeth’s sister, Rose, lives in Hawaii and manages the operations there, including collecting and storing books for donation, and managing their volunteers who read to students weekly. Elizabeth’s now 22-year-old son David Matthew, was involved heavily in Ohana100 as part of his community service at the University of Hawaii. Now, as a member of the U.S. Coast Guard, he continues to support the organization by making connections with the community.

Elizabeth’s daughter Catherine has taken a starring role in the organization. Though she’s only in 6^th grade, she now leads the Kids Doing Wonderful Things club, working with her friends to collect and distribute books, and reading to kids. This year alone, Catherine has read to more than 500 children. Catherine also joined Elizabeth on a trip to Cuba and the Philippines to distribute books to young students.

The family has truly started a movement. The volunteer-run organization has provided more than 40,000 books to kids in need. In New York, volunteers between the ages of 70 and 87 currently read to 100 kids each month. In Hawaii, an army of volunteers ages 5 to 92 are reading to more than 750 kids each month.

Elizabeth said anyone can get involved, you’re never too young or too old. Ohana100 is currently working on a program at an inner-city school in Buffalo, New York, where children read to each other. She believes sharing the importance of reading and giving back can never happen too early.

“Helping people is something you have to learn,” said Elizabeth, who says she was inspired by her own grandfather’s lifelong commitment to service in Hawaii. “You have to show it to your kids. It’s important to instill those values early in life, because it’s not something that comes naturally, especially to children. In order to make this world a better place, we need to get kids involved earlier.”

When asked which moments have stood out the most, the family agreed it’s the response from the kids when they receive their very own book. “To see their excitement when you say, ‘This is yours to keep, it’s your book forever’ and their eyes light up, it just tugs at my heart,” Elizabeth said. “I’ve seen it in so many places, and it just shows me the true need. And there’s so much more to do.”

The Mattsons encourage others get involved. “There is always a child in need for someone to read with them,” said Elizabeth.

Catherine echoes her mom’s sentiments, making a crystal clear call to action: “Pick up a book and go read!”

See how your family can get involved on Family Volunteer Day.

Louisiana Family Affected by Flooding Continues Giving Back to Those in Need

In honor of Family Volunteer Day, Nov. 19, Points of Light and Disney are recognizing families with the Daily Point of Light Award. Meet today’s winning family, the Rutecki family of Denham Springs, Louisiana, and nominate someone in your community.

Growing up, Melanie Rutecki’s family owned a small business, so they were always finding ways to give back to the community and get involved. When she and her husband, Kenny, started their family, they knew giving back would be part of the way they raised their children.

In 2013, their son Andy’s friend started a charity called Lidz for Kidz, which raises funds and collects hats for children at St. Jude Children’s Hospital and local clinics. The Rutecki family immediately got involved. Andy was 9 years old at the time, and his 5-year-old sister, Molly wanted to get involved, too.

“We’ve been so blessed to be included in Lidz for Kidz from the beginning,” said Melanie. “From the first hat drive and holiday wrapping party, it’s given my children perspective on how difficult life can be for some kids. To see these situations has made them more empathetic, it really pulls on their heart strings.”

Every year, the Rutecki family has been involved with multiple Lidz for Kidz events, including Family Volunteer Day.

Melanie said volunteering together has not only given her family the opportunity to lead with their strengths but also to develop new skills. Melanie is creative, and loves working on face painting and crafting at events. Andy, who Melanie describes as giving and gentle, loves working on programming and helping support those most in need. Molly loves chatting with other kids and making them feel included, while Kenny comes out of his shell and takes a leadership role when they volunteer.

“It’s amazing to see the whole family blossom,” she said. “Volunteering is an event for the whole family, and we all look forward to it.”  

Zach Morgan, the founder of Lidz for Kidz, couldn’t be happier to have the Rutecki family supporting him and his organization. “I can always count on them,” said Zach. “They are always willing to help out and do whatever is needed to make each and every Lidz for Kidz event fun and successful.”

Their community faces even greater needs this year after the severe flooding in Louisiana. In fact, the Ruteckis were severely impacted by the floods and currently reside in a camper outside their home while they work to repair the water damage.

Despite their current situation, they haven’t slowed down on their volunteering efforts.

“To tell the kids ‘I know we don’t have our house but look at what we are still able to give’ becomes a strong story to tell your family. Ten weeks in a camper, we still are positive and know we will still be so active in Family Volunteer Day because it gives the kids perspective, a way to relate to the world. It helps center yourself,” said Melanie. “No matter where you are, you can always do something.”

See how your family can get involved on Family Volunteer Day.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: Oregon Woman Unites Community in the Battle Against Hunger

“Eliminating hunger and poverty is a moral issue. When we are driven by compassion for others, we develop a connection not only to food and people but also to our deepest values,” says Elizabeth Boggs, co-founder of Good Neighbor Family Pantry in Sherwood, Oregon, which provides individuals and families with limited means or difficult circumstances the ability to acquire surplus food at no cost.

Initially, Elizabeth and her husband, Tyler, did not set out to create a food bank. In an effort to put food on their table more organically, the young couple purchased a farm just outside of Beaverton, Oregon, in 2010. Looking to reduce food waste, feed their livestock, and save some money, the couple began acquiring excess produce that was going to be discarded by food distributors. Realizing that some of the excess food was too good to feed to their animals, they decided to open up their farm to needy citizens to glean from the supplies. “We were in tears that first day,” says Elizabeth. “We had no idea the need for food in our community was so profound!”

The couple banded with other farmers who were willing to help feed the hungry. Word spread, and larger equipment that could haul supplies from more distributors became critical. The group launched a public awareness campaign, and the community responded. “More than 250 sponsors got involved in just 30 days, and over $32,000 in cash and materials was raised,” says Elizabeth. The farmers were able to repair equipment as well as purchase a dedicated truck and trailer, allowing them to double their volume. In late 2014, Good Neighbor Family Pantry was formed. Today, the pantry is open seven days a week to the public.

While the community of Good Neighbor Family Pantry has grown, the spirit of volunteerism is steadfast. “We could not do what we do without the support of our hundreds of volunteers who work at the pantry,” says Elizabeth. The pantry community also includes the original farmers, along with suppliers and various supporters and civic organizations.

The Good Neighbor Family Pantry is now providing more than 14,000 pounds of fruit, vegetables, and other food items, valued at thousands of dollars, and feeding more than 800 people per month. The farmers work with more than 20 local Rotary Clubs to feed those who cannot make it to the farm, provides ingredients for various soup kitchens, and supplies four food banks. A new facility to house the growing service is being constructed, and a clothing closet will be included.

Elizabeth’s spirit is inspirational and innovative. “Working for the pantry has taught me that giving is more than just an act of service; it’s a way of living,” she says.

The Good Neighbor Family Pantry has done extraordinary things in the life of Sue Hutchinson and her three children. Finances were tight for the single mother and schoolteacher, so she came to the pantry to keep her children fed while still making ends meet. “Coming to the pantry never felt like a handout, or a shameful thing,” she says. “The work of this pantry resonated so deeply with me and my children. It’s not just in their mission of feeding others—but it’s in the passionate, sincere way they go about empowering and caring for those who might just need a little help.” Now a regular volunteer of the pantry and a member of the Board of Directors, Sue manages the hundreds of volunteers that work at the pantry.

When not at the farm or pantry, Elizabeth works as an emergency room nurse in the local hospitals and as a nutritional therapy practitioner, teaching others how to use food as medicine to heal the body. As an herbologist and fermentationist, Elizabeth enjoys experimenting with food preservation and creating alternative healing remedies in her spare time. It is not unusual to see Elizabeth interacting with individuals who come to the pantry on the best ways to use and manage their food supplies. “Our goal is to create independence, self-sufficiency and sustainability, so people leave changed with a mentality of abundance, service and community,” she says.

San Antonio Veteran Changes Lives of Senior Veterans, One Flight at a Time

Flying for many, especially in a small aircraft, is a nightmare of nerves and airsickness. But for the veterans that take a dream flight with the Ageless Aviation Dreams Foundation, it’s a life-changing experience.

Tim Newton, 53, is a volunteer pilot with AADF, a nonprofit organization that gives free flights to seniors and veterans in a vintage Boeing Stearman biplane.

AADF partners with senior living facilities and retirement communities across the country, where a large percentage of the residents are veterans from World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The foundation brings one of their three airplanes to the nearest airport and about a dozen veterans get to fly with a pilot for a 15- to 20-minute flight.

“But it’s not just all about the flying,” Tim said. “It’s about the experience. We don’t rush them, get them in the airplane, fly them and just kick them out. We spend time with them, we talk with them, we want to hear their stories. We want to treat them as the heroes that they are.”

Tim said that these veterans are now in nursing homes and retirement homes, so many have forgotten that they are actual heroes, especially the World War II veterans.

“They saved the world. They really did,” Tim said. “If it weren’t for them, we would not be doing what we are doing today. So we want to say thank you to them, to all veterans, no matter what their branch of service of what they did.”

The reactions of the veterans go all across the spectrum. From crying to singing, Tim has seen it all. Some reactions are even miraculous.

“It doesn’t happen all the time, but we call it ‘seeing the magic,’” Tim said. “For example, we flew a World War II veteran in San Antonio who was an Alzheimer’s patient and he hadn’t spoken … We took him up flying, he landed, he hasn’t shut up since … He’s a changed person.”

Tim’s wife, Grace, who used to be a PR director at a senior living community and now volunteers with AADF, was able to see this transformation first-hand.

“The veterans that I took were former aviators and so a lot of them learned how to fly in this particular airplane … it brought back a lot of memories for them,” Grace said. “[The Alzheimer’s patient] hadn’t spoken a complete sentence in probably a year and after his dream flight, the first thing he said to the pilot was ‘Thank you for taking me to my heaven.’”

Another time Tim “saw the magic” was when the family of a World War II veteran signed him up for a flight. The veteran had been in hospice care, in a wheelchair and on oxygen.

“We wheeled him out to the airplane. I turned around to talk to the family. I turned back around. He was out of his wheelchair, taking the oxygen off of him and halfway up the wing, climbing into the airplane by himself. We took him flying. He’s not in hospice anymore. He’s doing great,” Tim said.

Tim has a special connection with these veterans because Tim is a veteran himself.

Growing up next to a U.S. Air Force base, Tim has had a fascination with planes from a young age. He knew he wanted to fly planes so after graduating from high school, Tim went to college at the Air Force Academy. After graduating from the academy, he went straight into pilot training in the Air Force.

For 26 years, Tim served the country by training other pilots and flying combat missions over Iraq and Bosnia.

“We were carrying bombs and air-to-air missiles, so we were ready to bomb targets or shoot aircrafts out of the sky,” Tim said. “It was a lot of work and scary at times, but it was a great job. I absolutely loved it.”

Now retired from the military, Tim flies big commercial airplanes for FedEx. While he said it’s a different type of flying than flying fighter jets, it gives him the time to volunteer with AADF. He said it is a lot of work and there are some long days, but “it is absolutely well worth it.”

“Our saying is that we don’t get paid in money. We get paid in satisfaction, and we are overpaid,” Tim said. “We are way, way overpaid.”

If you are inspired by Tim’s story, check out All for Good to find service projects in your area that specifically help veterans.

Serving Hospitalized Veterans One Smile at a Time

The first thing you’ll notice upon arriving at OhioHealth Riverside Methodist Hospital in Columbus, Ohio are the little American flag magnets stuck on various doors of patients around the building, indicating there are veterans in residence. If you really listen, you’ll likely hear the hearty laughter of a patient inside his or her room, enraptured in a nice conversation with volunteer Bill Mirick.

William “Bill” Mirick, 85, has been part of Riverside’s Veteran Visitation program for four years now and is a veteran himself. After serving in the Navy in the Korean War for nearly two and a half years, he understands what it means to be a veteran, which spurred his interest in helping others with similar backgrounds.

Bill proposed an idea for having a magnet on  patients’ doors, so everyone walking by would know that there was a veteran in that room. For two years, Bill and other veteran volunteers made the magnets until the hospital offered to help them out.

“The most important thing to any veteran is the American flag,” said Bill. “So we present them with [that].”

The flag and the stalk are nothing more than six inches, but symbolize so much more than what meets the eye.

“To see their eyes light up when they see it, it’s one of the nicest things I think we do for them,” Bill said.

Bill didn’t stop there.

Along with 13 volunteers, also veterans, Bill provides hospitalized veterans with a booklet called the Ohio Benefit Booklet, which contains events and opportunities exclusively for veterans. They also give packets that include a brochure on mental health benefits and a list of places that give veteran discounts – as well as transportation there and back.

There is also the Honor Flight, a trip free of charge for veterans to be able to go to Washington D.C. and see and experience the memorials. The flights take up to about 70 to 80 veterans per flight.

“Next year we’re going to start with Vietnam veterans,” said Bill.

The most important thing in the program, Bill thinks, is spending time with the veterans. He makes it his mission to ensure that every single veteran feels cared for and supported, especially those in the hospital. They are each unique, with different stories to tell about their time in service and just in life general.

“There was once a veteran who [was] in the hospital about to give birth,” Bill recalled “She was a double amputee, who had lost her legs in Afghanistan.”

Through his work, Bill was awarded the nationally renowned Jefferson Award in 2015, as well as the Columbus CEO volunteer of the year award this year for healthcare achievement. Although he is grateful, he only wants one thing out of this volunteer experience.

“I would love to see this program go to every hospital in this country,” said Bill. “That’s how important I think this program is.”

Before Veterans Day this year, Bill plans to speak at high schools about veterans and about being one, emphasizing how imperative it is that kids understand history from veterans themselves.

“Anything that we can do for the veterans is something important,” said Bill.

If you want to help other veterans, like Bill is doing, search All For Good, for volunteer opportunities in your area.

One Chicago Veteran Volunteers to Ensure No Vets Die Alone

“Close your eyes. Imagine you’re lying in a hospital bed and you know you have a terminal disease. You wake up, look around and there’s nobody there with you. You don’t have anyone’s hand to hold, you don’t have anyone to comfort you, talk to you.”

This is why Nick Konz, 70, said he has been volunteering with No Veteran Dies Alone at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago for the past three years.

No Veteran Dies Alone is a program that connects volunteers with veterans who are living out their final phase of life in hospice care.

There are about 30 program volunteers at the Lovell Federal Health Care Center, but Nick said that he is one of the few that can actually stay with the patients until the end because many people aren’t comfortable dealing with death.

Nick first goes in to see patients while they are still lucid, or at level one, so he can be a familiar face when they near the end.

“We’ll go up there and meet with them when they’re level one so they know who we are,” Nick said. “We find out their likes and dislikes. We’ll try to learn a little bit about them. It’s all about them. It’s not about us.”

Nick visits level one patients about once or twice a week. But when they hit level two, Nick tries to go in every day because it is unknown when they will pass.

“When they reach level two, most of the time, they’re no longer eating, drinking or responding,” Nick said. “By this time, a lot of them [have] Alzheimer’s or dementia, and they’re in a part of their life where they’re very confused. All we can do is listen to them, comfort them and let them know that somebody is with them, cares for their sacrifice… It’s just being with them so they’re not alone.”

Nick often forms strong relationships with these patients.  While he said he definitely has his favorites, he doesn’t let his emotions get to him when they pass away.

“It’s going to happen and there’s nothing we can do to change it,” Nick said. “So my way of thinking is to be prepared for it… Let them know it’s okay to go.”

Nick said that being a veteran himself makes it easier to talk to the other vets because there is a special bond between them.

“The best person to talk to if I have a problem is another veteran. You know, someone that actually wore the uniform, someone that had actually been there,” Nick said.

While Nick never saw combat during his military career, he spent 31 months in Europe as a cook for the military police battalion. After he came back home, he started volunteering for other vets through his American Legion post.

Nick’s first volunteer event was a bingo night that his American Legion post was hosting. He was paired up with a young man who had lost both arms, both legs and had a bandage on his eyes.

“When I saw that kid lay in there who was probably my age, I said, ‘He gave everything except his life. The least I can do is give my time and effort to help people like that.’ So I’ve been doing that kind of stuff ever since.”

Since then, Nick has volunteered at multiple veteran organizations, in addition to No Veterans Die Alone. He is the president of the Lake County Veterans Assistance Commission, which provides emergency assistance to veterans and their families.

When a local woman’s car broke down, Nick and the Veterans Assistance Commission stepped in. With five children and a broken car, she had no one to call except her husband who was deployed in Iraq.

“As soon as we got word of that, we said, ‘Wait a minute. He’s got to do all he can do to keep his head down. We’ll get the car taken care of for him,’” Nick said. Nick and the Veterans Assistance Commission were able to purchase a used car for the family.

From starting a veterans group at his senior living community to volunteering in a program called My HealtheVet to help veterans access their VA records and order their prescriptions online, Nick is doing everything in his power to make sure veterans get the help, respect and honor that they deserve.

“I just feel obligated. It’s something that needs to be done and not everyone can do it,” Nick said.

If Nick’s story inspires you to help other veterans, there are many ways to volunteer your time or donate money. You can check out All For Good to find service projects in your area that are specifically helping veterans. If you want to donate money, you can use Charity Navigator to see how the organization uses its funds before you donate.

Candid Camera: Retiree Uses Photography to Capture the Hearts and Smiles of Day Shelter Guests

Nancy Schieffelin is a woman of many talents, and boundless compassion. The retired clinical social worker has helped serve meals at Women’s Lunch Place in Boston since 1989. Every Tuesday, she can be found in the dining room, teaching volunteers how to serve lunch restaurant-style to women experiencing homelessness and poverty.

“[The shelter] gives them a sense of being served, which in their daily life – that’s not what they experience,” Nancy said.

There are flowers at every table to greet the women who enter the day shelter’s doors. The breakfast buffet is open from Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by a hearty, healthy lunch. Meals are served on china plates—and with a smile—as volunteers wind their way through the dining room personally delivering food to guests.

“[Nancy] has amazing skills,” said Lisa Brown, volunteer manager for Women’s Lunch Place, “and an ability to be with the ladies and speak with them in a way that most of my volunteers don’t really have access to – not having been a social worker and not having been here for 27 years.”

A year ago, Nancy took on a new role – resident photographer.

“One of our guests had pulled a picture of herself out of her wallet, and it was this little teeny old snapshot from the 80s,” Lisa said. “Nancy thought about how it would be so wonderful for them to have a nice photo of themselves.”

As an accomplished artist, whose paintings have been shown in galleries dating back to the early 1990s, Nancy has a talent for revealing the beauty in ordinary things – and a knack for photography. The 72-year-old quickly focused her practiced eye on guests of the Women’s Lunch Place.  

So far, Nancy has taken more than 50 portraits of the women who have found refuge in the daytime community. She prints out a 4×6 inch picture for her subjects to take with them after sitting for the photo in a corner of the busy dining room. Some women have mailed their pictures to family members they haven’t seen in years.

“It’s a small gesture in the scheme of things, but it gives some sense of satisfaction for them and maybe a boost in how they feel about themselves.” Nancy said.

Nancy hopes to ultimately create a photo portrait book featuring the guests of Women’s Lunch Place. “Another volunteer and I … want to make a book of these photographs along with quotes and stories,” Nancy said.

To have a moment to be reflected on by someone—and to be truly seen—is extremely powerful, Lisa shared. “Our ladies are often invisible—not in our shelter—but to the outside world,” she said. “People don’t look at them. People don’t pay attention to them, or speak to them.”

“They are giving me the privilege of taking their photo,” Nancy said. “When you volunteer—when you give—you are getting a lot [back]. It’s a two-way street.”

Not one to rest on her laurels, when she’s not volunteering at Women’s Lunch Place, Nancy coaches an ice hockey team for inner-city youth as part of The Boston Urban Hockey Initiative’s SCORE Boston program. She also works with YouthBuild on the “Friends of YouthBuild” committee which is tasked with fundraising from individuals. Youth Build teaches low-income young people leadership and construction skills through building affordable housing, as well as helping those without high school diplomas obtain a GED.

Nancy traces her affinity for service work back to the summer of 1964. As a student at Brown University, she volunteered to be a part of the Mississippi Summer Project, which is now known as Freedom Summer. During that time period, three civil rights activists were murdered near Philadelphia, Mississippi, and many volunteers were threatened, beaten and arrested.

“I volunteered to go to Mississippi in 1964 at a very dangerous time,” she recalled, “to help people register to vote and to teach in Freedom Schools which we created to help teach African-American’s about their rights.”

It was that extraordinary experience that laid the groundwork for Nancy’s long-standing commitment to service. She said, “It came to me [that summer], what I’ve sort of committed my life to ever since.”

Are you interested in lending a helping hand to homeless and low-income women in your community like Nancy? Visit All for Good to find local opportunities.