Renee Runge

Thanks to Renee Runge, Palm Beach County, Florida now has a one stop shop for people of all ages looking for volunteer activities in their local community.

A Suncoast Community High sophomore, Renee, 15, is the founder of Palm Beach County Community Angel Network, or PBCCAN, a website that posts available service projects in the area.  This volunteer opportunity search engine is particularly useful to high school students, like Renee, to easily find projects to complete their service hours required to graduate from high school.

In addition to the volunteer directory, PBCCAN hosts their own unique monthly projects dedicated to a cause of Renee’s choosing, which she describes as, “not your average food or clothing drive… CAN strives to involve thoughtfulness and creativity in all of the projects that we do.”
PBCCAN is a diverse and growing directory and has a list of more than 90 local nonprofits looking for volunteers.

Renee, who has devoted more than 300 hours on the creation of PBCCAN, calls it a “life changing experience.” Says Renee, “I have learned that your age doesn't matter and that it's more about your passion and determination to turn a small idea into something much bigger. I feel I've made a huge difference in our community and hope to inspire other young people to put their own needs aside and get involved. I look forward to the endless possibilities and future of Community Angel Network.”