Volunteer Ireland Champions Inclusion with TEAM IV Project
Volunteer Ireland, a Points of Light Global Network affiliate, is leading the charge in promoting social inclusion for people with disabilities through its involvement with a variety of projects, but specifically the TEAM IV (Training European Active Mentors for Inclusive Volunteering) project. In partnership with our friends at Pro Vobis, Points of Light’s Romanian affiliate, and other European organizations, TEAM IV is breaking new ground by training mentors to support volunteers with disabilities and creating a platform to connect mentors and mentees across Europe.
“We’re in the early stages of this project, which addresses inclusive volunteering,” said Stuart Garland, learning and capacity building manager at Volunteer Ireland. “People are used to looking for wheelchair accessibility, but we’re teaching them to look much further than that. There are many invisible (hidden) disabilities, and organizations often have barriers in place that they’re not even aware of.”
The TEAM IV project recognizes that while volunteering offers numerous benefits, people with disabilities often face barriers to participation. To address this, TEAM IV will train 250 mentors specialized in supporting people with disabilities who are volunteers or wish to be volunteers. The project team is also currently developing an online platform that can be used for training, matching mentors and mentees, and providing training materials in different languages.
“The project is all about providing mentors for people who want to volunteer and have disabilities of any form – hidden or visible,” Stuart shares. “The idea is that volunteer mentors will work one-on-one with these individuals to support them through the process. We’re hoping this will help normalize disabilities as well as provide more access and fairness in volunteer opportunities.”
TEAM IV’s innovative approach will result in an online training course that develops and strengthens the capacity of volunteer trained mentors through a European mentoring program for volunteers with disabilities. Mentors are crucial for supporting and empowering volunteers with disabilities, as shown by The TEAM IV State of the Art Report, a publication co-funded by the European Union.
The report reveals that various mentoring models and approaches are being implemented across Europe to cater to the diverse needs of volunteers with disabilities. However, challenges like limited opportunities, accessibility issues and stigma persist. Despite these challenges, best practices are emerging, with organizations offering innovative programs that enhance community integration for adults with intellectual disabilities and autism.
TEAM IV is also focused on working with organizations to bridge the gap in volunteering and provide safer spaces for volunteers with disabilities. Often, organizations quickly assume they can’t provide any sort of experience for these volunteers – even when they don’t know what the disability is.
“In some cases, it’s less of a disability and more of a support need,” Stuart reflects. “Organizations need to be coached on how to tailor opportunities to different individuals. Sometimes, especially in cases of things like ADHD and autism, it’s really helpful to have that different perspective and can be an asset.”
Volunteer Ireland is currently working on pieces of the education portion of the project, including designing a virtual training through the Articulate platform. This will eventually provide a free, on-demand, open-source training for interested mentors as early next year. By redefining, improving and formalizing the mentoring process for the TEAM IV project, Volunteer Ireland and its partners will contribute to the active participation of people with disabilities in civic life—while also advocating for social inclusion to policymakers and stakeholders across Europe.
The TEAM IV project is an exciting step forward in promoting social inclusion and empowering people with disabilities through volunteering. By fostering a culture of mentorship and support, Volunteer Ireland and its partners are helping to create a more inclusive and equitable society for all.
, which actively improves the lives of adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD) through volunteerism.
We spoke with Patti Colombo, manager of the RISE Program, and Katie Pfeifer, senior director of Programs at Volunteer New York!, to hear their reflections on what has made this initiative such a success.
“When we started the program, we were seeing that many people with and without disabilities were using our site to find meaningful places to volunteer,” Katie said. “What we didn’t want to happen – and what was occasionally happening – was they were being turned away, or not encouraged in a way that created strong volunteer opportunities. We were able to obtain funding for this program, build it out and bring on Patti to help elevate the program.”
“The program has been around for nine years,” shared Patti. “It’s all about community inclusion. These individuals want, need and are actually mandated to be in the community. Forty years ago, individuals were still being housed in institutions without meaningful or productive lives, and that’s no longer the norm. There’s a very strong movement toward inclusion and acceptance in our communities.”
RISE, which stands for ” Readiness thru Integrated Service Engagement,” connects individuals with I/DD to meaningful volunteer opportunities. Volunteer New York! works with over 300 different nonprofits, conducting site visits and talking to nonprofit and corporate teams to identify projects that could be a good fit for a RISE group.
Often, they identify roles and responsibilities that can be broken up among multiple volunteers. And recurring projects tend to be popular as they are able to be fine-tuned over time. Plus, both the hosting teams and volunteer participants can anticipate what to expect and count on regularly scheduled projects as part of their routine.
“We know exactly how volunteering builds community and builds skills,” Patti said. “A lot of these individuals have goals, like employment. And if they’re not necessarily able to work, they still want to be involved in meaningful community engagement. We’re specifically working with people with intellectual disabilities, people who often have their needs misunderstood or unsupported. We’re able to help with that.”
One of the core goals of the program is to foster community engagement by creating integrated volunteer projects where people with and without disabilities can work side-by-side. This approach has proven to be incredibly successful in breaking down barriers and promoting understanding.
During a recent corporate activation event, 45% of volunteers surveyed shared that they had no prior way to engage with individuals with I/DD. However, after participating in the integrated projects, a remarkable 97.4% of volunteers reported feeling a stronger sense of community with those with I/DD, compared to 71.5% prior to the projects.
“People want to be seen. They want to be able to have a purpose,” reflected Patti. “That’s really what community inclusion is all about. People with I/DD or autism often feel invisible. There are so many wins with this program – there are multiple layers of impact.”
Indeed, the impact of the RISE program is undeniable. In the past year alone, 185 RISE volunteers have dedicated over 3,000 hours of service to 33 community partners. They have supported a wide range of causes, including:
Providing school clothing to 750 students to prevent absenteeism.
Supporting 600 students with educational resources.
Assembling and distributing 1,120 Period Kits to teens.
Creating and mailing 735 birthday cards to Senior Corp volunteers.
Packaging 1,000 feedings of donated breast milk for deliveries to local NICUs.
Caring for 18 horses.
Supporting 175 individuals with disabilities in social and job readiness skills.
Helping 4,500 new immigrants find a clean and safe place to learn.
“We know that everybody has a role to play in our community – people of all ages, stages and ability levels,” Katie expressed. “We want people from all backgrounds to be part of solutions that help solve our community challenges.”
As Volunteer New York! celebrates its 75th anniversary this year, the RISE program is proving that inclusive volunteering isn’t just a nice idea – it’s a powerful tool for positive change. When people with and without disabilities work side-by-side, it breaks down stereotypes and builds genuine connections. Volunteers – especially those with diverse experiences and representing a variety of perspectives – can gain valuable skills and confidence, while the wider community benefits from their contributions: a win-win that’s creating a more welcoming and inclusive society for everyone.
How Hands On Manila, Points of Light’s First Affiliate Outside of the US, Is Shaping Global Volunteerism
In a world that increasingly demands both individual and collective action, volunteering is a powerful force for positive change. At the forefront of volunteer engagement,
.
We spoke with ND-Kristine B. Ambrosio, executive director of Hands On Manila, and Gianna Montinola, the president of Hands On Manila and co-founder who launched the organization in 2001. Together with their team, they have cultivated a thriving hub for volunteer engagement.
Hands On Manila holds a unique distinction: it was Points of Light’s first international Global Network affiliate. This pioneering partnership has shaped the network, fostering growth and connection on a global scale.
Courtesy Hands On Manila
“Our partnership with Points of Light has provided invaluable support in multiple ways,” shares Ambrosio. “It strengthened our resource mobilization efforts, particularly in corporate volunteer programs, by connecting us with Points of Light’s extensive international network. Additionally, being affiliated with Points of Light has enhanced our credibility on a global scale. We also benefit from access to key communication materials and best practices shared through the Global Network platform, which help us refine our messaging and engagement strategies.”
Today, Hands On Manila builds on this strong foundation. While they primarily design customized corporate volunteer programs, they continue to offer individual volunteer activities—staying true to how they started.
Their work focuses on four key pillars: Education, Environment, Health & Wellness and Livelihood. Two flagship programs, Servathon and Good Deeds Day, exemplify their commitment to large-scale impact. Servathon brings together corporate volunteers for impactful service projects, while Good Deeds Day, a global movement, encourages acts of kindness and service in countless ways.
“Volunteering isn’t just about giving—it’s about creating connections and building a stronger, more compassionate world, one action at a time.”
— Gianna Montinola, president and co-founder, Hands On Manila
Courtesy Hands On Manila
Measuring the impact of these initiatives is paramount to Hands On Manila’s work. “We implement a post-activity feedback system to assess volunteer experiences in program execution, beneficiary engagement and sustainability,” explains Ambrosio. “To ensure long-term impact, we actively involve both corporate and community stakeholders in maintaining and sustaining the support provided. This includes regular follow-ups, scheduled visits and random check-ins with partner communities to track progress and reinforce commitment.”
Recognizing and appreciating the contributions of volunteers is a core value at Hands On Manila. “We make sure our volunteers feel valued through certificates, shoutouts on social media and appreciation events,” shares Montinola. “For corporate partners, we share impact reports to highlight their contributions. Plus, our big events like Servathon and Good Deeds Day are great opportunities to celebrate and recognize volunteer efforts. We believe a little gratitude goes a long way in keeping people inspired to get involved!”
This February, Hands On Manila takes center stage as the host of the annual Points of Light Global Gathering. This multi-day event promises to be a powerful opportunity for collaboration and innovation amongst nonprofit and NGO leaders.
“We’re looking forward to connecting with Global Network leaders from around the world, exchanging ideas, and learning from different approaches to volunteering,” says Ambrosio. “It’s also a great chance to highlight volunteer efforts in Asia and explore new ways to collaborate. Plus, we’re excited to have the these leaders join Hands On Manila’s public conference, where we’ll discuss the impact of bayanihan [a spirit of civic unity and cooperation among Filipinos] and corporate volunteerism. It’ll be interesting to see the insights that come out of these conversations.”
The Hands On Manila leaders feel strongly about the vital role of volunteering in today’s world. “Volunteering helps tackle real issues, brings people together and creates positive change,” asserts Ambrosio. “Whether it’s sharing skills, helping in crises or supporting communities, volunteering is a simple way to make a big impact.”
Hands On Manila, through its dedication to service and its leadership within the Points of Light Global Network, certainly embodies this truth as it inspires individuals and organizations to make a difference, one act of kindness at a time.
Volunteering Hungary’s Dedication to Building Community Connections
(Önkéntes Központ Alapítvány), a Global Network Affiliate building a brighter future by connecting volunteers with meaningful opportunities in Hungary.
Volunteering Hungary understands that a thriving society is built on connection and cooperation. They believe in connecting volunteers, nonprofit organizations and businesses to foster collaboration, meet community needs and create lasting change.
We spoke with Borbála Hadrévy, a project manager at Volunteering Hungary, to learn more about how they work with their communities, especially seniors, and recognize their volunteers.
Tell us about a project or initiative you’re working on that’s making a big impact on your community.
Our Friends of the Elderly program aims to help those living alone in society. Our volunteers visit seniors as friends — chatting, walking, playing games, listening to their stories or even shopping together. Volunteers are often their only link to the outside world. We also organize outside activities for seniors, to get them out of their home, at least for a little while. Every year we organize a Christmas lunch featuring performers, but they have also taken part in Women’s Day greetings, kids’ gymnastics, a ballet and folkdance show, a petting zoo program, an Easter party and a sightseeing cruise.
We supported 60 seniors in Budapest, with 139 new applying volunteers, 50 active visiting volunteers, three training events for volunteers and four fun programs in 2023.
“I always look at the faces of the elderly. It is wonderful how the loneliness disappears, and we can see their true faces.” — Gréti Kázmér (leader of Friends of the Elderly program, Volunteering Hungary)
Do you have an upcoming special event or milestone that your organization is celebrating? Tell us about it!
We had our Friends of the Elderly carnival in February 2024, which saw 50 seniors, volunteers and 50 children from different kindergartens. The carnival includes crafts with children, a costume show and children’s show for seniors, eating special carnival delicacies together.
Are you working with Points of Light Global Network affiliates on a community project? Share the details.
: A Pathway To Employment. For this initiative, we work with unemployed young people as well as people over 45 to make them aware of their skills and improve their employability in sectors of the future, through an innovative and unique pathway.
We also work with the Regionalne Centrum Wolontariatu in Poland on the EST Erasmus+ project: European Seniors Together. The project aims to develop a precise method for senior experts to mentor young people who need help in their professional or personal lives.
In the past we’ve worked with Pro Vobis in Romania and TimeHeroes in Bulgaria as well.
How are you recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions?
Each year, we give Volunteering Awards in four categories. This ceremony is held to thank them for their outstanding work. We celebrated more than 100 senior volunteers on their volunteer club’s 10th birthday in 2023. Every Christmas we give presents to our volunteers who are active in any of our programs. We are continuously working on finding and providing them with more and more volunteering opportunities.
In addition to volunteering, describe other elements of the Points of Light Civic Circle® that your work involves. How has the Civic Circle become central to your approach?
For the “Vote” element, in 2024 Volunteering Hungary participated in the VVV campaign (Vote Volunteer Vision). The aim is to call the attention of volunteer-involving organizations to discover and develop the European Parliament candidates’ opinions on volunteering for the 2024 European Parliament Election. We also share the idea in secondary schools for those over 18.
We’ve used “Listen & Learn” for trainings in volunteer management, pro bono projects, EST (Europen Seniors Together) European project for mentoring young people by senior experts.
For “Work” we have our “APTE” (A Pathway To Employment) European project for job seekers. For “Donate,” we collect and distribute our corporate partners’ donations. And for “Social Entrepreneur,” we support institutions (shelters, temporary homes for families, children’s homes, schools, etc.) with corporate volunteer programs, mentoring programs for young people in need and sensitization programs between NGOs and corporate sector.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through civic engagement?
Try to find a volunteer activity in which you feel comfortable and fulfilled in every way.
How United Way of Ventura County Fosters Healthy Smiles
is a time to recognize the power of individuals working together to make a positive difference in their communities. This month, Points of Light is highlighting United Way of Ventura County, a Points of Light Global Network Affiliate dedicated to improving lives by focusing on education, financial stability and health.
Tooth decay, despite being largely preventable, remains the most common chronic childhood disease.
understands its detrimental impact on nutrition, development and school attendance. That’s why they’ve launched the Building Healthy Smiles program. We spoke with Aissa Fernandez, manager of Community Impact Programs at United Way of Ventura County, to find out more about the program and its impact.
Tell us about a project or initiative you’re working on that’s making a big impact on your community.
United Way of Ventura County’s Building Healthy Smiles program seeks to tackle the issue of tooth decay by focusing on education and prevention. Despite being preventable, tooth decay is the number one chronic disease affecting children. It can contribute to a wide range of problems including poor nutrition, sub-normal growth and unnecessary pain. Dental pain because of tooth decay can also impact school absenteeism and lead to a significant loss in attendance-based school funding.
Our strategy is a school-liked prevention approach where we, in collaboration with our oral health care partners who volunteer their time, conduct on-site oral health education, screening and fluoride varnish application events. We specifically target schools where 50% or more of the student population is eligible for the Free or Reduced-Price Meal program. For children who we identify with dental decay during the screening process, we work with our dental partners, the school nurse and the child’s family to connect the child to dental care and treatment.
Establishing a dental home for students without one remains our top priority. The assessment events we provide focus on kindergarten and 3rd grade students. Kindergarteners who have not completed the state mandated oral health assessment are a part of our target population. We also screen 3rd grade students to follow California’s Oral Health Plan which sets targets for tooth decay, untreated decay and sealant prevalence in 3rd grade children. In fiscal year 2022-2023, Building Healthy Smiles screened over 1,000 students and provided over 600 students with an application of fluoride varnish.
“In Ventura County, we have over 100,000 children who do not have access to a dental home. We’ve partnered strategically with Clinicas and others to provide school-based programs that provide children with an education component of proper dental hygiene and preventative treatment, with the ultimate goal of providing a dental home for those 100,000 children.” — Mitchel Sloan, president & CEO, United Way of Ventura County
Do you have an upcoming special event or milestone that your organization is celebrating? Tell us about it!
In honor of National Children’s Dental Health Month, throughout the month of February, Building Healthy Smiles conducted school screenings at local elementary schools.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through civic engagement?
Any act of service, no matter how small, can make a difference. Do what you can, with what you’ve got, wherever you are.
affiliate that connects businesses and community organizations throughout the Netherlands to build stronger communities.
Samen voor Eindhoven believes that magical things happen when businesses and community organizations work together for a common cause. The organization’s goal is to foster a world where everyone has the opportunity to participate, and they believe that connecting businesses and community organizations helps achieve that. We spoke with Marbritta van Boldrik, content manager at Samen voor Eindhoven, to get her perspective.
“The most important thing in life is the connections you make with others,” says Paul Ypinga, CEO of Samen voor Eindhoven.
Tell us about a project or initiative you’re working on that’s making a big impact on your community.
Courtesy Samen voor Eindhoven
We organize (almost every day) impact day for corporate volunteers and local NGO’s. For example, our popular street tour, where formerly unhoused individuals walk with corporate people through our city and tell them about how they survived their period of homelessness. They also show them their personal spots. After every impact day, we send a survey with questions to measure and learn.
How are you recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions?
We thank them during the (personal) briefing or de-briefing. Sometimes we call the volunteer leader or give them a thank you postcard.
In addition to volunteering, what other initiatives inform your approach?
Courtesy Samen voor Eindhoven
Corporate volunteering is big. Daily, we connect people from Brainport companies with local NGO’s and their target groups (like people living with illness or underserved individuals). We like to burst bubbles so two groups can learn from each other!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through civic engagement?
Keep an open mind and open heart and try to listen to each other. And remember: doing good makes you happy.
Activate Good: Inspiring Action Through Innovative Volunteer Engagement
Global Volunteer Month is a time to celebrate the power of volunteers to make a positive impact within communities worldwide. Points of Light is shining a light on
affiliate making waves in the Triangle region of North Carolina.
Activate Good is focused on improving the community through various volunteer-driven projects. They see a future where everyone uses their inherent power to make a difference locally. We spoke with Rose Thompson, senior programs manager at Activate Good, to get her perspective on their new Learn and Serve model and all the innovative ways they’re inspiring volunteerism.
Tell us about a project or initiative you’re working on that’s making a big impact on your community.
In 2023, Activate Good launched a new model for volunteer engagement: The Learn and Serve. Learn and Serve is a new approach that aims to transform volunteering into a vehicle for greater civic participation and empowerment. The Learn and Serve model deepens engagement and understanding while challenging volunteers to take what they’ve learned to the next level through repeat participation, outreach and advocacy.
As the Triangle region’s Points of Light Affiliate, Activate Good is working to evolve and incorporate the
framework and these findings into our programs and throughout our organization. Our Learn and Serve model is one of the ways we are doing this.
In 2023, Learn and Serve projects facilitated more than 2,000 hours of learning and engagement. We surveyed participants, and as a result of participating in a Learn and Serve:
89% plan to volunteer more in the next year.
93%better understand how people different from them in the community might feel.
“As I look back on 2023, what strikes me most is the dedication of our amazing Staff, Board members, and volunteers in ensuring that our community will always have people who have its back,” said Amber Smith, founder and executive director of Activate Good. “With a small but mighty team and limited resources, we somehow managed to break our own records, facilitating over 20,000 volunteer sign ups through last year. We built capacity for hundreds of organizations and schools and activated community members to start or grow on their personal journey to become lifelong changemakers.”
Tell us about an upcoming special event or milestone that your organization is celebrating.
Our visionary founder and executive director, Amber Smith, is departing our organization after nearly 20 years of being its driving force. We are hosting a farewell fundraiser in her honor, and the new executive director will be a part of that event on April 30.
How are you recognizing and thanking volunteers for their contributions?
We host an annual event in November to show gratitude to our project leaders, sponsors, donors, etc. called Thanks(for)Giving! We also have recognized volunteers with the Daily Point of Light Award (in years past) and the PVSA (in 2023), and we host The Civic 50.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through civic engagement?
We believe we all have a responsibility to work towards a better world, and we hope you’ll join us on a journey of transformation.
Reflections from the Points of Light Global Gathering in Warsaw
Urgency, resiliency, harmony, compassion, and remembrance are just a few of the words to describe the
, and the 2024 Points of Light Global Network Gathering, held in Warsaw, Poland. The theme of the summit was One World, One Response. This was an important theme for a unique and challenging time in the world. We talked about polarization and how volunteering, civic engagement and service not only help a challenging situation at hand but can bridge divides in a common pact of humanity.
Our Points of Light Global Network co-host for these two convenings was our Polish network affiliate
(Volunteer Center Association) under the direction of their amazing president, Agnieszka Lissowska-Lewkowicz. Centrum Wolontariatu celebrated its 30th anniversary last year and they focus on training volunteers and supporting businesses in being truly socially responsible while fostering cross-sector partnerships. I am eternally grateful to Agnieszka (pronounced Ag-nesh-ka) for coaching me on the pronunciations of names of the people that I needed to both introduce and interact.
It is just over a four-hour drive from Warsaw to the main Polish-Ukrainian Border Crossing Budomierz-Hruszów. The war in Ukraine, now going on for two years, was central to many of our discussions. We started the summit with a fireside chat with our Points of Light Board Chair, Neil Bush, in conversation with U.S. Ambassador to Poland Mark Brzezinski. Two sons of important U.S. officials, one a president and the other a national security advisor, discussing the current situation with Ukraine and also speaking of their fathers’ significant roles in both freedom for Poland and the collapse of communism. An example of two men across the isle who not only worked together for a common goal but in admiration of each other.
The panel I moderated continued the discussion of geopolitics, and polarization, with a focus on Ukraine and an emphasis on collaboration. Our panelist consisted of representatives from two companies – Provident, a Polish financial services firm, and UPS, the global logistics behemoth – an NGO dedicated to helping refugees, and the Polish Minister of Civil Society. Employee volunteering was central in the aftermath of the infusion of Ukrainian refugees, in fact it is estimated that half of all Poles were volunteering or helping in some way. Many took the refugees into their homes, helped financially, provided needed services, and schools for the children. Provident created a home for single moms from Ukraine and provided not only housing but also food, clothing, and many services. This was staffed by volunteers and Provident has now turned it into a separate NGO. It should be noted that that Minister Agnieszka Buczyńska was herself was a Volunteer Center leader in Gdańsk.
A discussion between Points of Light Global Network members
I was able to be with our Points of Light Global Network affiliates for two of their three day meeting. There are 145 NGOs from 39 countries in the Global Network. We had representatives from 25 countries with us spanning the globe from Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, France, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Mexico, Philippines, Romania to the United States. While cultures, political systems, geography, and demographics range widely, the group shares a common belief that through volunteering and civic engagement we can make positive change in the world for those who need it most. Much of the time was in discussion both as a network and in small groups discussing successes, changes, opportunities and best practices. Scale is critical and looking through different lenses to see how something is done differently helps to spark innovation.
At one lunch Points of Light’s President & CEO Jennifer Sirangelo and I sat down with our two Global Network members, Olga Moloko and Luba Margolina, from Ukraine. The mission statement of their organization, the East Europe Foundation, states their work succinctly: We are changing our country and want to see it be modern and innovative, attractive to investors, and comfortable to live in. A country where the government is accountable, effective and responsible, and the people have opportunities to actualize their potential. I have learned over the last two years how resilient the Ukrainian people are. In the early days it was about relief, and while still important, they have moved forward as a country while at war. For instance, Olga is leading an effort to build bomb shelters at schools. Students are not allowed to attend in-person school without a bomb shelter, so they rose to the occasion and are building them. They are addressing current needs for a longer-term war while at the same time planning for rebuilding and the long-term future. So inspiring as they persevere against great odds.
I mentioned the word remembrance. It was not lost on me the significance of being in Warsaw in this turbulent world that at times reminds me of the Polish people’s experience in the last century. My first trip to Poland many years ago was to Gdańsk. This port city is known not only for the start of World War II and it’s subsequent annexation by the Nazis, but also for the start of the fall of the Soviet Union with Lech Walesa leading the charge at Solidarity. It is what happened during WWII in Poland what we must never forget. We visited the Monument for Ghetto Heroes. The monument marks the area where Polish Jews were forced to locate, and then where many were taken to camps such as Auschwitz. Just prior to WWII, 3.3 million Jews lived in Poland, more than any other country in Europe. At the end of the war, approximately 380,000 Polish Jews remained alive. The rise of authoritarianism, polarization, and increasing antisemitism in our world today are all important reasons to look back into the not-too-distant past as we must prevent history from repeating itself.
18 Volunteer Opportunities You Can Join to be a Part of 2024 MLK Day of Service
As the 95th birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. approaches on January 15, 2024, people across the United States prepare to honor the birth of one of its most influential civil rights leaders. MLK Day of Service transcends remembrance, having evolved into a national day of service that actively honors Dr. King’s memory. This day encourages us to reflect on the impact of Dr. King’s work and take action to advance his vision for a better society. It’s the only federal holiday designated as a National Day of Service to encourage all Americans to volunteer to improve their communities.
MLK Day of Service is a call to action, in the spirit of Dr. King, who once said, “Everybody can be great because anyone can serve.” These words are an invitation to contribute to our communities, addressing issues that we are passionate about and that resonate with the values Dr. King championed.
As champions of the Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, Points of Light Global Network Affiliates are offering a variety of volunteer activities across the country, making it easier for everyone to find a way to make a difference in their community. And if you don’t see an event in your community listed below, take a look at
is collaborating with its dedicated partner, TEKsystems, to motivate its nationwide workforce to volunteer on MLK Day, especially in Baltimore. Their 2024 ambition is for all employees to participate in the “Day On Not Off,” either through sponsored events or individual volunteering, demonstrating a commitment to impact on MLK Day and beyond.
will honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., with a tribute that has been running since 2014. After a pandemic hiatus, CVNL reignited the tradition in 2023. The event will feature opportunities for community service projects focusing on building a “Beloved Community” reflective of Dr. King’s ideals of inclusion, equity, justice and compassion.
will be offering a one-day Civic Leadership Training Series, crafted to empower individuals for year-round impactful community engagement. This dynamic program, honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., equips attendees with essential skills for sustainable civic leadership in a collaborative, immersive learning experience.
will engage volunteers in metro Atlanta from Jan. 11-15, 2024, supporting more than 50 nonprofits focusing on food security, education and the environment, in line with Dr. King’s vision. This includes the 10th annual MLK Sunday Supper on Jan. 14, a gathering for Atlanta’s leaders to engage in meaningful dialogue about “Challenging the Status Quo.”
organizes an annual day of service in tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., mobilizing volunteers, corporate partners and organizations across Central California. This year, MLK Serve Projects will be active in Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings, Merced, Mariposa and Stanislaus Counties, addressing critical community needs.
and Shell Oil are teaming up to revitalize a public school campus in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. The organization is seeking volunteers for various projects, including enhancing playgrounds, making over a library, constructing outdoor cafeteria seating, painting locker rooms and refurbishing basketball courts. The focus is on creating inclusive, stimulating spaces for individual and group play, incorporating STEM and music activities. Another event hosted by HandsOn New Orleans and Shell Oil will transform a budding public park via various outdoor projects, replicating the successful efforts of a local man who galvanized the community to restore his childhood recreation center after Hurricane Katrina.
has collaborated with Wake Forest University and others since 2010 to organize the Read-In event, promoting Dr. King’s ideals through literacy and service. The event pairs children ages 4 through 10 with college students for reading and enrichment activities, giving each child a civil-rights themed book. Annually engaging about 150 volunteers and 100 children, the event will take place this year at Winston-Salem State University.
will mobilize 1,500 volunteers across ten New Jersey counties for a variety of projects, including school transformations, park revitalization, a social justice walk, workshops and care package assembly. These impactful activities will take place both on the day of and the day before the holiday, honoring Dr. King’s legacy through community service.
will commemorate Dr. King’s influential 1964 speech at the Coliseum with the MLK 2024 Volunteer Festival at the same venue. This event, aimed at building a beloved community, will feature thousands of volunteers engaging in diverse activities like hands-on service, a Minecraft March on Washington and a marketplace showcasing local BIPOC-owned businesses.
, in partnership with AHRC, is organizing a diverse group of volunteers for food drives and emergency food aid delivery. The event includes a march from the First Baptist Church in Glen Cove to the Glen Cove Middle School, where volunteers, including AHRC Nassau members, will assemble food bags for the North Shore Soup Kitchen. The day will also feature a celebratory program with artistic expressions themed on diversity and inclusivity.
25th annual Day of Service will invite community members to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., through meaningful service. Partnering with the Community Action Partnership of Orange County (CAPOC) and the Orange County Food Bank, this event supports initiatives that have been improving lives and communities and fighting poverty in O.C. for more than 56 years.
will again host its MLK Day of Service Food Packing Event. Launched in 2018 to address local hunger issues, this event engages volunteers in an assembly-line to pack 200,000 nutritious meals. These meals are then distributed by volunteers to various local food pantries, including churches and schools, ensuring widespread community impact.
will offer an MLK Day of Service event on the 20214 MLK Day of Service. This day will focus on neighborhood cleanups to enhance the environment and community unity, along with hosting voter registration drives at each site to encourage civic engagement and honor Dr. King’s vision of equality and active community participation.
7th MLK Day of Service will feature diverse civic engagement projects like “Listen and Learn” sessions on affordable housing, training for “SNAP Ambassadors”, donation scavenger hunts, park cleanups, STEM kit packing and more. The event will also include the presentation of the “Beloved Community Award” to a leader exemplifying Dr. King’s vision.
4th annual MLK Unity Celebration will feature the theme “Live, Love & Serve – Burlington County” from January 12-15. The event features a local video to inspire participation in MLK Day events and activities, available for individual viewing and at related events. Additionally, attendees can join the 18th annual MLK Challenge on MLK Day, involving card making and collections for three different causes.
will host its annual MLK Day of Service, a significant community event for 15 years, celebrating Dr. King’s legacy through service. This day includes diverse activities like service projects for local nonprofits, a nonprofit fair, food drive, community art, performances and a children’s area with literacy support through Imagination Library. Join the “Kindness for King” initiative and the MLK Drive Clean-Up to make a meaningful impact.
will host its MLK Jr. Weekend of Service, starting with a community conversation on “Racial Equity: Practices and Competencies to Build Stamina and Strength” on January 10, led by award-winning moderator Natasha A. Harrison. This panel features community leaders discussing the implementation of racial equity practices. On January 15, “Give Together,” a family-friendly volunteer event for children (ages 5-12), will offer service projects across various areas, including food insecurity and elder care, guided by teen leaders. This event includes reflection on Dr. King’s legacy and the opportunity for youth to earn Passport stamps through participation.
will host its MLK Day 2024 Civic Circle Discussion, where they explore nine ways to lead a purposeful civic life. Attendees will have the chance to reflect on community involvement, vision and actions to make that vision a reality.
Points of Light is proud of the work our affiliates are championing for Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service this year. Do you want to participate in this day of service through volunteer opportunities near you? Visit
to search our database of hundreds of thousands of volunteer opportunities. Together, we can keep Dr. King’s dream alive and thriving in communities across the nation.
Long Island Volunteer Center Shares Volunteer Stories
work to create impact around the world. This innovative network operates with organizations, with 145 affiliates across 39 countries around the world. Together, we are inspiring, equipping and mobilizing more people to use their time, talent and resources to create positive change in their communities.
We spoke with Diana O’Neill, executive director at Long Island Volunteer Center, Inc., a Points of Light affiliate in New York, to discuss why volunteer stories matter and hear inspiring stories from their own work. The Long Island Volunteer Center is the regional center for volunteerism on Long Island, providing a central hub for individuals and groups to connect directly with nonprofit organizations, raising the profile of volunteerism in the region and increasing the number of new volunteers to meet community issues, while impacting the lives of neighbors in need and enriching the life of the volunteer as well.
How is your organization working with volunteers this year? Describe the activities and events do you have planned.
This is our 30th anniversary year, and we are working toward a celebration event in early fall. We connect with volunteers through networking events, volunteer fairs, street fairs, information provided to local libraries, articles in local papers, social media promotion, website promotion, e-newsletters and speaking engagements.
What resources or tools are you providing to volunteers to help them get involved in their community?
We have lists on our website homepage of volunteer opportunities across Long Island, split out by volunteer category. We have updated the list of youth volunteer opportunities. We are working toward increasing the number of automated volunteer opportunity posts on the website to facilitate search and connectivity. We are also updating our seasonal list of volunteer opportunities high in demand by libraries and high school guidance offices.
What role does volunteerism play in your organization’s overall mission and objectives?
The entire management team is all-volunteer, so each member is absolutely essential to mission and operations. We also have a very active board which participates in hands-on projects and planning around programming.
Share one success story of volunteers in your community who have made a significant impact.
LIVC volunteers Lisa Ziegler and Debra Cattani lead prom boutique logistics and are a well-oiled team that is remarkable to watch in motion. Done with a special blend of tender, loving care, they take thousands of donated gowns and accessories and sort them by size, style and intended purpose (i.e., gown for prom or dressy dress for graduation event), always ensuring quality while thinking about the impact on the intended recipient. They are very organized and manage logistics with incredible attention to detail, competence, professionalism and excellence among all the moving parts.
The Long Island Volunteer Center’s Prom Boutique gown giveaway program, originally created at the Junior League of Long Island and fully coordinated in partnership with the Nassau County Police Department, is now celebrating its 30th year. The NCPD hosts a distribution event at their Center for Training and Intelligence as a “pop-up” boutique which is supplied by the thousands of donations secured through LIVC’s collection efforts for new and gently used prom attire.
Donated gowns and accessories are distributed by invitation only—all girls are confidentially referred by underserved youth agencies, group homes, high school guidance counselors and church outreach leaders—and are provided free of charge to girls of families across Long Island who cannot easily absorb the expense of a new gown for their prom, awards ceremony or graduation. At the project’s apex, pre-COVID, over 5,000 girls benefited from the initiative which included ten additional events coordinated with the United Federal of Teachers. On average, 30 schools/at risk programs make confidential referrals; 383 volunteers participate; 25 groups and businesses donate gowns and/or host dress drives; and 18 locations have served as collection sites. Without this all-volunteer effort, many of these young ladies and young men would not have the opportunity to celebrate their successful completion of high school through the prom experience.
Lisa and Debbie were forced to pivot their mindset around logistics post-COVID and did so with incredible grace, aplomb and keen attention to safety protocols. The 2020 spring event was canceled so the inventory had been stored in anticipation of 2021 programming that would not allow for an in-person event. It was decided to create a hybrid distribution model that entailed online ordering by partner high schools and youth program agencies and fulfillment of those orders with curbside pickup by HS and program coordinators from our storage facility in Nassau County. This innovative approach was successfully employed along with distribution of dressy children’s clothing to youth program agencies.
Accumulating over 200 hours each year, Lisa and Debbie have been regularly assisted by Nicole Ziegler and Kyle Ziegler, and on an as-needed basis by Sandy Viola, Anne Sprotte, Kurt Sprotte, Kevin Sprotte, Pat Moynihan, Pat Force, Paul Salerno, Diana O’Neill and Simone Leo. They both lead by example and richly deserve being highlighted since they would never seek it for themselves. Lisa and Debbie are Volunteer Superstars, bar none.
Can you share any tips or best practices for other organizations looking to recognize volunteers?
Tell your volunteer stories!
What’s one piece of advice you’d give someone who’s looking to get more involved in their community through volunteerism?
Find out where your passion meets purpose and utilize the expertise of a local Points of Light affiliate to connect to community needs.
